It’s Vintage Darling! An exploration of vintage fashion retailing

Abstract

This is an exploratory study which defines vintage fashion, considers the vintage fashion consumer and evaluates the positioning of the vintage retail store from the perspective of the store proprietor/manager. Design/ methodological approach: The research involved 15 in-depth interviews with vintage fashion retailers. Findings: It is proposed that vintage fashion retailers position and differentiate themselves by their uniqueness; a competitive advantage gained through the knowledge and skills of the owner/manager. Research limitations/implications: This is an exploratory study and as such it is limited to the experiences of 15 vintage fashion retailers. It is, however, part of a larger empirical study. Practical implications: The results of this study provide the basis for futuresearch development in terms of the vintage consumer and consumer behaviour. Originality/value: The development of the vintage concept reveals a paucity of theoretical and empirical research studies. This exploratory research seeks to address this scarcity

The Effects of Consumers’ Perceived Values on Intention to Purchase Upcycled Products

“…That is, upcycled products are reincarnated into high-value-added products, applying aesthetic creativity to recycled products. Interestingly, the purchase motives behind vintage or retro products and upcycled products are similar to an aesthetics shift [10,32]. Indeed, upcycled furniture, such as a sofa that has been reupholstered using tires, wood crate nightstands, and antique typewriter keyboards, has a similar vintage appeal.…”

Reaching for the Sun, Moon and Stars: Experiencing Fashion Retail in the Neighbourhood in Hong Kong

“…The emphasis on originality and uniqueness in these located retail offerings is a consistent theme. Some retailers spoke of the need to provide "an authentic experience" at point of sale providing quality, eclectic offerings beyond the homogeneity of mass fashion saturation along with the local trend for more sustainable notions of fashion behaviours (McColl et al 2013).…”

“…Gentrified sites also attract relevant, like-minded consumers from local, regional and international origins. Equally, an innovative enactment of fashion and lifestyle is taking place in reworked neighbourhoods offering the fashion consumer a more intimate encounter with creative producers through more strategically executed, multi-sensory fashion retail experiences (Lund 2015) founded on the strategic management of store atmosphere (Pine and Gilmore 1999) or a distinctive location (McColl et al 2013) using triggering events such as fashion shows, installations, designer talks and experiential workshops to offer deeper customer engagement as a strategic form of brand reciprocity. In this way, residual retail spaces can stage events to foster fashion consumption experiences as an interruption (Ferreri 2013) or generate a festival-like experience on account of the surprise element that can be engendered and the resulting media buzz created.…”

Sustainable Fashion Supply Chain Management

“…In order to have a better understanding on how the second-hand clothing stores can differentiate from one another, McColl et al (2013) study the commercial vintage fashion and examine the positions of the vintage retail stores with respect to their product sourcing, customer service, communication, and trading format. They define vintage fashion as "garments and accessories which are more than 20 years old, which represent a particular fashion era, and which are valued for their uniqueness and authenticity."…”