VINTAGE STORES IN THE WORLD

I'm seriously in love with vintage clothing and accessories. Today I want to suggest you some vintage stores that are in the most fashionable cities in the world.

                                               LONDON

THEA VINTAGE is located in the stables area of Camden market are several brilliant vintage shops. Thea Vintage is a small but on-trend unit with seasonally appropriate stock. You’ll find colourful skinny jeans for £20 and polka-dot PVC cropped macs that’ll weather spring showers for £15. A word of advice (and this is true for several other ‘vintage’ shops): some of the stock is new but ‘vintage inspired’. This can be a false economy, so it’s worth being a savvy shopper and digging around for the designer labels to ensure quality. We unearthed a pair of Jacques Vert coral pumps for £27.
Best buy Dolce & Gabbana vest, £15.
Unit 16, Camden Stables Market, NW1 (020 7482 5002) Camden Town tube. Open Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat, Sun 9.30am-7pm.


CORNUCOPIA After 40 years in the business, owner 72-year-old Jerry Richards is closing down this wonderful old vintage emporium later this year (he’s yet to confirm a date). The only silver lining to this cloudy news is that Richards is in the process of clearing stock, which means he’s selling things off at crazy prices – jackets are currently £10, coats £15 and skirts a meagre £5. Rammed with a staggering volume of clothing spanning about 100 years from the Victorian era, it’s the kind of place you can spend hours unearthing star finds like the dazzling 1920s sequin jacket in gold and black, £60. As always, there’s a vast stock of designer labels including Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix and Giorgio Armani as well as a mighty array of shoes and handbags. Visit while you still can.
Best buy 1930s floor-length black velvet coat, £40.
12 Upper Tachbrook St, SW1 (020 7828 5752) Pimlico tube. Open Mon-Sat 11am-6pm.
TRAID Unlike some charity shops in the area where all you find is tatty high-street cast-offs, Traid (which stands for Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development) has a huge mix of good vintage, high-street and designer. While rummaging, we found a woman’s wool Aquascutum coat for £17.99. For men Traid has created Traidremade, which gives used blazers, £45, a new lease of life by printing fun slogans on them, such as ‘Let’s get lost tonight’ and ‘I am whatever you say I am’. There’s also a fine range of accessories for both men and women.
Best buy Vintage gold Escada coat, £39.99.
61 Westbourne Grove, W2 (020 7221 2421/www.traid.org.uk) Royal Oak or Bayswater tube. Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm.

                                                PARIS

DIDIER LUDOT  is worldwide famous for his selection of (well-priced) Vintage including big names like Chanel, Balenciaga or Hermès. His impressive store, set in the historic galleries of Palais-Royal, can be intimidating. Prices are not for the faint-hearted, with tags reaching the thousands.

Didier Ludot, 24 galerie Montpensier, 75001 (01 42 96 06 56). M° Palais-Royal.

IRMA : Irma is only one example of the numerous shops of Vernaison Market who offer vintage linen and lace. On a recent visit she had on offer a 1920 velvet dress in good condition (300 euros) and a magnificently embroidered 1913 coat. On a rack outside the shop you may find the occasional Sixties dress for a bargain.
Stand 200, allée n°9, Marché Vernaison, St-Ouen (01 40 10 08 57). M° Porte-de-Clignancourt.
MAM'ZELLE SWING : if you're keen on zazous and 40's fashion, you can be sure to find the rare jacket and matching shoes in this nicely airy shop founded by Bérénice. The stock is well selected and can include anything from a 1900's shirt to a Courrèges suit. The clothes are reasonably priced with many items below 100 euros.

Mamz'Elle Swing, 35Bis, rue du Roi de Sicile, 75 004 (01 48 87 04 06). M° Hôtel-de-Ville.
FALBALAS : Falbalas, founded by Françoise and Erwan de Fligué, is a true vintage heaven. Hidden in the antique flea market of Saint-Ouen, this Vintage shop aims to provide fashion from the 18th century to 1970, with a very strong output on 1900 to 1950 dresses. The place is especially good for turn-of-the-century skirts, or New Look dresses. The owners are very knowledgeable and friendly. They also sell a nice selection of retro shoes of their own design. Prices start at 30 euros, but can reach the hundreds. Please note they only accept cash or French checks, no credit cards.

Falbalas, Marché Dauphine, 140 rue des Rosiers, Saint-Ouen. M° Porte-de-Clignancourt.

BRIGITTE CAMPAGNE- ANCIENNE MODE : Brigitte Campagne is a true specialist of antique clothing from 1800 to 1940. A haunt for wardrobe masters, her tiny shop is packed with turn-of-the-century jackets, luscious coats and ball gowns. Most of the stock is for collectors only, as the fabrics tend to be fragile. Prices are average, with a 1910 embroidered coat at 300 euros.
Maison Brigitte Campagne, 17, rue Moret, 75 011. (01 43 55 11 98) M° Ménilmontant.

                                                                   MILAN

FRANCO JACASSI Via Sacchi 3, Milano .Tel. 02 86462076.
http://www.vintagedelirium.com
Great for men’s wear and handmade clothing. You will find high fashion designs by Callot Soer, Vionnet, Chanel, Pucci, Saint Laurent, Courrège, accessories by Roberta di Camerino, Gucci, Hermes as well as shoes, scarves and ties.

HUMANA VINTAGE Via Cappellari 3 (opp the corner of Via Dogana), Milan. Tel. 02 72080606
Hours: Mon 14.30-19.30; Tue-Sat 10.30-19.30 Closed Sunday
www.humanaitalia.org

Centrally located at 2 minutes walk from the Duomo, Humana Vintage stocks a range of original Italian clothing from the 60s, 70s and 80s for women and men at affordable prices. A sizable collection of leather and curious/unique accessories can be found, including bags, hats, shoes, scarves and ties, costume jewellery, textiles and various objects of interest. For those who have a bent towards brands, Humana Vintage also stocks a small collection of second-hand designer labels. In essence, there should be something to cater for everyone, whether it be everyday wear, something a little offbeat for costumes or even a vintage wedding dress!

CAVALLI e NASTRI Via Brera 2, Milano Tel. 02 72000449
Via De Amicis 9, Milano Tel. 02 89409452
One of Milan’s original second-hand stores, you will find the perfect vintage chic clothing or accessories here. Cavalli e Nastri also have a special selection of vintage wedding gowns and accessories.

.

ROME

PULP is located only a few minutes from the Via Cavour metro station, parallel to Via Serpenti.Pulp

 is a popular haunt for designer aficionados. If you’re looking for high quality, high end  clothing at lower prices, Pulp offers a more tranquil – and more organized – environment to browse vintage classics from Versace and Chanel.

PRIMITIVI  is one of a handful of vintage boutiques in the Trastevere area and probably the best selection of clothing among them. Just a few steps from Piazza San Cosimato, the store carries a sizeable collection of costume jewellery and an extensive range of women’s dresses and coats. The men’s clothing section is small, but of impressive quality. In January and August Primitivo has a sale, with all merchandise from 40% off. Go early during the sales season to get first dibs!
Rome may be famous for its designer stores, but for thriftier shoppers and those looking for unusual and original pieces, the city has a variety of places to buy vintage clothing. Although the offerings aren’t quite as comprehensive as those in New York or London, the vintage clothing scene in Italy is slowly gathering momentum and in the last couple of years the capital’s vintage stores have become popular with crafty fashionistas.

                                                              NEW YORK

AMARCORD VINTAGE FASHION The airy, sparkling Amarcord Vintage Fashion houses pristine and well-priced items handpicked by owners Patti Bordoni and Marco Liotta. The Italian expatriates collect much of their stock -- which includes non-designer prize finds, as well as pieces by Roberto Cavalli, Roslein, Versace, Cacharel, and Valentino -- in their home country, via secret sources and word-of-mouth. (In Italy, “there are no auctions, no thrift shops. Nobody knows what the word vintage means,” says Liotta. “They call it usato -- as in used.”) Open since December, Amarcord quickly found favor with the fashion troops: “Patti and Marco have impeccable taste,” says stylist Signe Yberg. “They don’t do trashy glam,” she adds. “They do sophisticated lady.”