Where will Vintage Fashion be in the future?

T

thesamebutdifferent

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Hi all

I am currently in my final year at Heriot Watt University's School of Textiles and Design in Galashiels, Scotland. For my final year dissertation I have focused on the topic of Vintage Clothing. With the current culture of fast disposable fashion I am looking at what will be classed as Vintage in the future will it still exist?
I would be really interested to know your views on some topics and it would be a great help if you had the time to answer some of my questions.


What do you think is a correct definition of the word vintage?

Why do you think vintage fashion has become so popular?

What do you think of this current trend of disposable fashion sold by retailers such as Primark?

Do you believe the Vintage market is sustainable? Will sources of vintage clothing run out of just keep getting newer?

Are trends/fashion which reduce-reuse-recycle the key to saving the planet and reducing mass consumption?

What do you think the future holds for vintage clothing?


I would be extremely grateful for any views you may have on any of the questions or topic altogther. Thank you.

Sarah
 
Hi Sarah and hello
Your Course sounds fantastic,i was thinking about some of your questions, i can answer some from my own personal opinons, but others could have different views on the subject
Why do you think vintage fashion has become so popular?

Its not main stream,it gives that edge and individual look to a person, being a full outfit or a scarve or an item of Jewellery, its a creative way of showing ones difference to others.

Do you believe the Vintage market is sustainable? Will sources of vintage clothing run out of just keep getting newer?

Yes in a way sustainable, Vintage is both worn and collected,by wearing Vintage it obviously gives way to wear and tear on the item, but for the collectors of Vintage these are treasured,love and cared for and will eventually be passed to another Collector and so on, but then the 1970s flares i wore as a child are now Vintage and collectable, so yes too Vintage will get newer as the years pass.
What do you think the future holds for vintage clothing?

I think Vintage clothing will always be important and both worn and collected, i think that the mass marketing of Primark and such, will become less popular too, its great than the consumer can purchase a evening out outfit for £10 but how many people do you see wearing the same indentical items at the weekend?, while we all have the gloomy economical worrys i think everybody tightens the purse strings and shop at the cheapest price thats advertized, however there are some savvy shoppers that know the Vintage Clothing market holds real gems to be purchased at the simillar price and twice the quality and i do believe others will catch on to this too,i think theres a real buzz for Vintage at the moment and truly beleive that Vintage clothing is very much here to stay.
 
I can weigh in on a couple of the questions; I've owned vintage clothes shops in Portland since 1967.

When I was first in business, vintage was popular as wearable clothing, and the interest was in the 1920s and 30s. At the same time, vintage leathers from the 20s and 30s were our bread and butter. We sold thousands of leathers, primarily coats and jackets.

Later, 40s suits & furs were big. In the 80s, thanks to Ralph Lauren, there was a fad for Victorian whites, including what had been originally lingerie and the prices soared.

And again, vintage leathers were once more our bread and butter--this time old motorcycle and horsehide jackets. Again, we sold thousands, many to musicians and street kids who covered them in studs and spikes. And we did a brisk trade in used Docs, along with the traditional vintage staples.

I've always carried jewelry--in the 60s, big rings and real art deco and nouveau and ethnic silver; later the interest switched to flashy 'designer' costume jewelry.

Vintage has, all this time, BEEN popular, but it's gone in and out of the mainstream, and the focus has changed as mainstream style has changed. Vintage and mainstream style have influenced each other.

There were arty and bohemian dressers in the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s who wore and collected old/ethnic clothing and jewelry. Some of my fave people in the 60s were older ladies who fancied 'old diamonds'...i.e., Georgian and earlier jewels.

The clothing will inevitably get newer...we wore 20s beaded gowns that could not be worn today....silk shatters; materials have their expiration date.

RE new clothes vs. vintage. Something new is fresh for one wearing, maybe for a season. I wore my wardrobe of 40s suits through the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Because vintage is never exactly IN style, it's also never out. That is one GREAT investment.
 
My definition of vintage (clothing) is fashion going back in history from the previous generation i.e. your parents. However, vintage is a relatively new term and in the UK that was not a term that was used in my experience when I was wearing 'vintage' in the 70's. I also find in hard to use the term vintage when applied to Edwardian and Victorian fashions.

I agree with the comment that choosing to wear vintage allows for originality.

The current trend of disposable fashion which is delivering basically cheap mass produced clothes will survive for economic and social reasons. I personally might not chose to buy from stores that sell these clothes because of the quality but not every buyer is discerning or able to afford clothes that are more expensive.

I think the vintage market is sustainable.

I don't think that reduce-reuse-recycle fashion is the"key" to saving our planet but it will help. e.g. Reducing the manufacture of synthetic fabrics that are derived from oil.

Wearing vintage is here to stay.
 
The current trend of disposable fashion which is delivering basically cheap mass produced clothes will survive for economic and social reasons. I personally might not chose to buy from stores that sell these clothes because of the quality but not every buyer is discerning or able to afford clothes that are more expensive.
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most definitely. I buy less and less new items and more and more vintage for the quality alone and the beauty. I so, so want hats and gloves to become so mainstream. I think it is closer than it has been for years.
 
People in the developed countries have been getting bigger for the past century - we're all aware that vintage sizes are smaller than current sizing.

But it seems like today's generation of kids are HUGE (not just overweight, but taller too). I wonder if that will affect the vintage market in the future if no-one can fit into vintage clothes.
 
My initial thought to the post "Where will Vintage Fashion be in the future?" was "still in my stock room at the rate I list!" :embaressed:

I'll think on the actual Q's and come back to this.
 
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