FOOD | ARTS | COMMUNITY | STYLE + LEISURE
SECOND TIME AROUND
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN AT GOT VINTAGE
While Houston has a robust used clothing and accessories scene , with the likes of The Leopard Lounge , Retropolis and Buffalo Exchange , among others , Got Vintage , a collaboration between Yoko Vintage and Vida Vintage , is offering Houstonians curated “ pop up ” events ( their first one was in October ) with some of the town ’ s best vintage finds for both men and women , as well as giving local vendors and craft artisans a launching pad to showcase their finds and designs . We sat down with the duo behind Got , Luz Perez and Saray Ortiz , for a peek behind the curtain of this growing scene .
Can you tell us what got you both interested in the world of Vintage Clothing ? We both grew up shopping at thrift stores ; Luz was a vintage buyer in the U . K and Saray has had vintage shops on eBay and Houston ’ s Retropolis . So , it has always been a world we were familiar with and became something we simply loved doing . Clothing is a way to express yourself without saying one word and vintage clothing is one of a kind , so each piece comes with a story .
What ’ s it like working with each other ? How did you meet ? Saray : I was driving one day and noticed these handwritten signs saying vintage sale ! Intrigued , I followed the signs to a warehouse dock and was amazed by what I saw : Luz ’ s vintage collection . We hit it off immediately , started seeing each other regularly at different market events and became very close . There ’ s a sense of community among small business owners , understanding each other ’ s struggles , dreams and aspirations and ours aligned perfectly . We started teaming up , doing festivals like Free Press Houston Summer Fest and the now defunct Fun Fun Fun Fest .
Luz : I love Saray ! We ‘ re very different , but at the same time so alike . We both have the same dreams and understand each other ' s vision for our shops . She ' s my vintage soulmate . I used to rent out warehouse areas to host sales on weekends and Saray happened to see one of my makeshift signs , and the rest is history . I ' ve always loved our chemistry and how our styles always complement one another , so our combined booths always have a little bit of everything for everyone .
What is your own personal style inspiration ? Saray : Inspiration for me is everywhere , from music , movies , art . I really like mixing prints and styles from different decades . Having the freedom to mix and make it work to create a great looking outfit is really empowering .
Luz : Honestly , I just love clothes . I don ' t think I have a set style to say . I like to mix decades with a little modern twist to it , anything colorful with bold prints and a nice fit .
What ’ s in store for Got Vintage ? We hope to continue growing and host our “ big event ” every three months , along with having minieditions of streetwear vendor pop-ups in between . We eventually want to open a brick and mortar location . Got Vintage is a market where it doesn ‘ t matter your size , style , gender ; there is something for everyone here . If you love clothes , this is the place for you .
What ’ s your dream vintage find ? Luz : Anything 50s ! Bathing suits , dresses you name it . I ‘ m obsessed with the 50s silhouette .
Saray : I am a big fan of Bart Simpson . I like finding the bootleg tees . They ’ re rare but exist and in high demand , so if I come across one , it ‘ s happy dance time .
Learn more about them by visiting www . yokovintage . com .
By Beth Levine | Photography by Harry Dearing
11 . 2017 | LOCAL 63