September 24, 2024

An Eagle Eye

I have a friend who says it important to choose your parents well. Sofia Wallis did the best selection with hers; they work in mid century antiques, support her working at many jobs since she was twelve, before arriving at vintage, and a mother who’s great at removing stains from vintage fabrics.

However, I would also point out they’ve clearly also transferred the hard working and curiosity genes to their daughter whose vintage clothing businesses are high achievers in a challenging business. After a couple of early vintage piece sales, it was clear Sofia has the eye required to sift through so much stuff in bins, piles, and heaps.

Sofia describes her two separate businesses thus “Jaded Vintage is mostly made up of 60s-2000s. A large percentage is more colourful, statement, designer. Farmer’s Daughter has an emphasis on antique silks, Edwardian cotton and lace, frills, dainty, and ethereal.”

Sofia has the curatorial gift which is about seeing things others miss, about editing through analysis, and then adding a soupçon of personal selection. The head and the heart are essential in vintage where the love for a piece that is beyond repair or wear cannot be allowed to overrule. This ability has led to selling at the Manhattan Vintage show and a write up in NY Times. The hunting and the time it takes, is all about focussing, which leads Sofia to buy anywhere and everywhere from a simple online purchase to a far distant fair. On her travels, she is ever alert, putting back into circulation pieces which has been asleep until her eagle eye spotted them. The concept of doing good with clothes from the past being given new lives is an essential part of her pleasure in her work Her business acumen is about trusting her instincts and her curating and editorial skills, and a sense of adventure in her exploration of all aspects of vintage.

Cellotape: Every decade “vintage” as a term shifts, so when and what do you consider justifies the word?

Sofia: Vintage; more than 20 years old. Some people name items more than 50 years as “true” vintage. Antique; more than 100 years old.

Words by Tony Glenville

Sofia wearing: Farmer’s Daughter

Cellotape: What’s the most difficult decade’s clothes to find?
Sofia: The older something is, the more difficult it becomes to find in wearable or solid condition. Sturdier materials such as a heavy cotton will fare better over time than a delicate lace or silk chiffon.

Cellotape: What’s the easiest decade of clothes to sell?

Sofia: 100%, 90s or 2000s. It’s because it’s easily the most wearable vintage decade – it was only 20 – 30 years ago. The designers I focus on from that era are ones who opted for high quality construction and fabrics, so most pieces I sell from that era are pristine. Clothing made today is arguably sooner to fall apart than something that has already lasted that long. Pop culture also plays into it; the main demographic buying my clothes grew up watching their icons wear these pieces, in a way buying and wearing them may feel almost historical or makes them live closer to these influences.

Cellotape: What happens if you find a truly extraordinary piece that belonged in a museum, archive, or collection?

Sofia: Many exceptional pieces stay with me – oftentimes stored flat in archive boxes if they are too delicate to be hung. I have designers or collectors who reach out to me if they have interest in pieces I post online, but often I recognise their vision and contact them if I believe I have something that will fit their collection. Before selling, I love to document these pieces through photoshoots.

Sofia wearing: Farmer’s Daughter

Cellotape: Do you enjoy checking the names in the back of garments to tell the story, even if it’s not “designer”?

Sofia: Always. Especially with vintage, I often discover smaller designers who don’t receive as much recognition – it makes me feel like I’ve been let in on a good secret, and I continue to look for those labels again & again. A label provides history on the garment. For large fashion houses, it helps to identify the designer at the time, what collection it is from, and can lead me to finding it on the runway.

Cellotape: Tell me about your thoughts on vintage accessories such as fans, gloves, belts, costume jewellery, handbags, shoes?

Sofia: I find them charming!! In a world of sweatsuits, athleisure, and clothing practicality, one of my main attractions to vintage fashion is the glamour. A cigarette case, clutch, cuff link, scarf, parasol all share something so similar. They are absolutely unnecessary. Arguably, they do hold specific functions, but it is simpler to choose not to carry these trinkets around with you.

The same goes for clothing… At nighttime, you may have donned an intricate silk lingerie ensemble, or a breezy cotton nightgown. Your bodice could have had buttons made of ivory or a luxurious metal, engraved or painted. Details of thought, intention, craftsmanship.

I feel modern clothing has lost values that are reflected in past times. It was more common to cherish quality and design, versus comfort and ease.

Cellotape: Do you think customers see vintage as being kinder to the planet?

Sofia: As a store owner, I have experienced a multitude of views on vintage. For sure, many choose to shop solely vintage for the sustainability aspect. Others are drawn to vintage for reasons more in relation with the exclusivity, or the hunt. I think, for most, it is a combination of factors. It’s a rare category of consumerism where you are winning in multiple fields. Vintage clothing is not only wildly more interesting, but it comes without sacrificing positive environmental status.

Sofia wearing: Farmer’s Daughter

Cellotape: Do you think people selling expect to get more for vintage today?

Sofia:Yes. Vintage is currently a thriving, competitive market. There’s intense demand, therefore higher prices can be asked, particularly for especially rare or sought after pieces. It’s important for buyers to also remember dealers pay vendor fees, commission to online platforms, rent, etc. When you buy from a seasoned seller, you are also paying for the seller’s expertise, care for the garment, and their eye.

Cellotape: How important is an approximate date for you and the buyer?

Sofia: I like to be as specific as I can be. With my older dresses, occasionally they arrive to me marked with a specific date – but for the most part, I like to identify the decade. With newer pieces, if I find out they were part of a runway collection, it helps me and the buyer to know the exact year and history.

Cellotape: So, what has been the “best” pieces you’ve ever found?

Sofia: Last winter while I was sourcing vintage in Thailand, I came across a warehouse store in Chiang Mai. I checked the glass case under the register, noticing there was a square of patchwork denim peeking out. I knew it was something – asked the man at the desk to pull it out. Turns out, somehow an 1970s full patchwork denim set ended up in Thailand. The actual set was incredible – but the history behind the designer was more so. It was a custom set made fully out of vintage Levi’s denim waistbands, crafted by Ghanian pop star Ricky Ossei, AKA St. Ossei. He was not only a well-known singer, but an avant-garde designer as well. In the 70s he came to California, made 500 custom sets, and sold them at a boutique called JAX, being the first to experiment with the denim patchwork design. I kept it for myself for a while and debuted it at Sturbridge – but it never even hit the floor. The second I lifted it out of my truck, someone sprinted over and bought it immediately. Other than the set, the finds that are closest to my heart are my 1920s and 30s velvet gowns, or antique wedding pieces that come with documentation such as a letter or photograph.

Sofia wearing: Farmer’s Daughter, sunglasses; Dolce&Gabbana

Cellotape: It’s fascinating how even big store brands or mass-produced garments the labels change. Is there a source for this kind of information? What do you find useful is dating pieces?

Sofia: Yes – vintagefashionguild.org is an incredible resource when looking at different labels & eras. I do have relationships with fashion historians. I am educated in historic fashion enough to be able to estimate the date a piece was made in, but oftentimes I call in the big guns when I question a piece’s era or purpose. I post sometimes on groups specialising in dating vintage. I feel I learn and absorb so much knowledge whenever I study the discourse that it takes to date a piece.

Cellotape: Do you think people buying expect to pay more for extra collectible pieces today?

Sofia: People should expect to do so; those rare and special bits are difficult to find. Some come looking for a secondhand bargain. But when someone knows their fashion history, they always understand the price attached to the premium.

Cellotape: Do many customers alter or remake pieces they buy from you?

Sofia: No. I find typically a customer likes to feel that a piece finds them, and many view getting a piece altered as forcing something that shouldn’t be. Personally, I find I don’t have an issue altering a piece to fit me as long as I’m maintaining the original integrity and not disrupting any design choices. On the other side, many designers do buy pieces for inspiration, for archives, or for remakes. There is one up-cycler Kate, @convertedcloset, who has bought from me before and reworks her purchases.

Sofia wearing: Farmer’s Daughter

Cellotape: What about washing, cleaning etc before selling, is this a problem?

Sofia: Assessing the care needed for the older pieces can definitely be a challenge. You can’t just chuck aged & delicate clothes into a washer – it often takes intentional observation and planning to properly care for each item. Different fabrics or dyes have to be taken into consideration. For my oldest pieces, the condition they come in is how I leave them in – attempting to clean them isn’t always the best route. For stains and general washing, the most natural and effective method is by a gentle soak, time in the sun, and a hang dry.

Cellotape: What is the future of vintage?

Sofia: Vintage is on an expanding trajectory that will not stop anytime soon.

I think it will only become more expensive, and harder to find, as demand grows. But I don’t think there’s any shortage of vintage, yet. There is enough clothing on the earth to support the industry for a very long time. I honestly believe traditional retail (as far as fashion) has been struggling – and more brands will continue to integrate and utilise vintage as part of their marketing and business model. Modern fashion production is a complicated web. It’s too easy to ignore the true cost of buying new. In a world constantly innovating and modernising, there is a continuing trend of turning to the past for answers and inspiration.