giving a denim vest a crocheted alter-ego in the back and slashing a technicolor muumuu in two and redesigning it as a matching set .
Rather than answer to market trends with sure-to-sell basics (“ black leather coats right now is a good example ,” she says ), Arthur would rather sell clothes that stand out : “ You know , like a wild paisley color-pop ‘ 60s go-go dress .” The right customers tend to find her — at the events she pops up at or at her brick-andmortar store , which until spring was located on a retail strip in East Sacramento ’ s Sutter Park .
She recently decided to minimize overhead by moving the bazaar — disco ball and all — to her spare room . She predicts the market may soon hit a “ vintage plateau ” as pandemic-era vintage sellers give up the biz . “ And then you ’ re going to hopefully have people like me that just still continue to do it .” in yesteryear . “ My current collection has really transitioned into silk , linen , cotton , wool ,” she says , adding that fabrics like silk are superior to polyester in terms of feel and movement .
As a transplant from New York , she sees Capital Region fashion as being in flux . “ When I first moved here four years ago … I noticed a lot of fast fashion , and now I have noticed that there is a mindset shift , especially when I do markets and get to interact with a lot of new people , that they are just wanting quality pieces .”
Vanessa Labi is assistant editor for Comstock ’ s and an arts and culture writer . She writes Comstock ’ s newsletter and shares cultural commentary , essays and recommendations in her own newsletter , The Vessel .
What ’ s old is new
The move toward vintage can also be attributed to the shift toward sustainability . Just look to TikTok ( or at least this writer ’ s algorithm ) to see eco-conscious influencers post their vintage hauls and share how to look chic while creating less waste .
Briana Thomas , owner of Rosen boutique in Oak Park , has been in the vintage dealing business for 12 years . While studying fashion design at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and working in production design for fashion houses like Diane Von Furstenberg , she became “ a little disillusioned with the production process and how much waste really went into making clothing .”
To contribute something more in line with her values ( and to help pay her New York rent ), she started a vintage business as a side hustle , selling online and at markets in Brooklyn . She brought Rosen to Sacramento in 2019 .
Thomas describes Rosen ’ s inventory as “ things that can be really easily worn day to day and mixed in with modern clothing .” She ’ s observed customers ’ shock at the high quality and comfort of her store ’ s vintage pieces , which she credits to the natural fibers used more often
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