With vintage fashion everything is advantages: the clothes are better quality than now, the garments come with history and its own personality, the chances of it coinciding with the choice of another person are negligible, it is more economic, and of course, there is no more garment sustainable than the one that was already manufactured.
Furthermore, due to the ridiculous fashion cycle, when viewed with some perspective, it is easy to see how they repeat themselves. For all this, we bring you a rigorous selection with the top spaces, the best stores where find vintage in Barcelona.
L'Arca, Barcelona.
L'ARCA, Carrer Banys Nous, 20.
L’Arca –a chest where the bride’s trousseau and family treasures were once kept– is in full jewish quarter (the Call). Count with one 15th century arch and recreates a "boudoir" from the end of the 19th century. And, surely, it is one of the most precious from Barcelona.
“We have been here for 40 years, we are the fifth generation of antique dealers, and we approach vintage from the sustainability", Carmen comments.
She takes care of l'Arche together with Nina, her sister. The mother of both, she went from dedicating herself to period furniture to sell old clothes In the 1980s, after her return from the emblematic Parisian flea market Marché aux Puces, she founded the first vintage store in the Catalan capital, right at the time of the boom in ad lib In ibiza.
L'Arca proposes a very careful selection of “ethereal vintage” aimed at new romantics. there we find ruffles, bows, lace, embroidery and pastel colors. Also a large collection of Manila shawls, kimonos, and headdresses that range since the 19th century until about 1940, with special accent on the 20s and 30s. In short, a delicate and retailer.
L'Arca, Barcelona.
"We do not want feel constrained by labels: we offer our clients solutions to your needs, for different pockets, either with unique original pieces, or with designs handicrafts”, Carmen defends.
As if that were not enough, they have a workshop attached to the store and offer “reworked” or “one-of-a-kind” garments, which are made from fabrics that they recycle with a current look: a wedding dress from a organza and bobbin bedspread or a bag made thanks to the Japanese fabric of a kimono. “So we also support and produce manufacturing techniques that would otherwise disappear,” she alleges.
In principle, old are those pieces of over 100 years (although now someone strains the ones that are only 20 years old). But Carmina sheds light on the matter: “The term comes from wine, from good vintages. not all garments Second-hand goods over 20 years old are vintage, only those that age well over time, due to their fabric, their design or by their preparation, which become timeless.
You did not know: From L'Arca they were responsible for a part of the wardrobe that he wore Kate Winslet in titanica. They dressed Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and have collaborated in other productions such as The perfume, Wild Wild West, The lady, The cathedral of the sea...
The Happy Shop, Barcelona.
THE HAPPY SHOP, Carrer Cervantes, 5.
"Now we are in a showroom by appointment, but in less than two weeks we open a physical store on Calle Cervantes, 5, in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona”, presents Nadia Pape. This 32-year-old Mallorcan ended up in this job almost accidentally and without planning. “When I was 18 I moved to Barcelona and I discovered the markets and retro stores. This world conquered me and, little by little, between many odysseys to dozens of different cities, I have been learning and discovering as much as I could, really enjoying the process,” she recalls.
The Happy are made up of pieces that she she has been collecting this decade, and she combines face-to-face sales with with the on-line especially through Instagram.
She acknowledges that the period less touch is the one of the 50s and 60s. Her predilection is the decade of the 90's and, therefore, the one that brings together the largest percentage of the store, along with the 70s and 80s and, hopefully, some jewel of the 1930s, “when they made the most beautiful clothes she adds she.
Where do you get the clothes? Private collections, online platforms and trips! To the south of France, Paris, Italy and Los Angeles, a paradise For those looking for pieces of File, Archive of all decades and styles.
To the discussion: Unlike Carmina, Nadia believes that "a vintage suit must have at least 20 years (and an antiquity, 100 years)”.
What they do agree on is that clothing must have e certain concept of revaluation and not everything is worth what is second hand, whose added value is not required.
Alabama Collect, Barcelona.
ALABAMA COLLECTION, Carrer Pallars, 141, attic A.
With a slow speech, Paula Prieto narrates how she began with this adventure:
“From a very young age, I have gone to bazaars under the influence of my mother, who is also passionate about antiques". Paula explains that she has spent a lot of time buying old wonders for her personal use, so she started participating in small trails and, seeing the good result, she decided to go one step further. So she got down to business with him. Project from Alabama Collect.
“Buy less and choose better is our philosophy, with this premise, we offer perfect wardrobe funds, such as jeans, a White shirt, a black dress, a jacket, a good coat", she describes her. Always making a careful choice and looking for everything to have something special: for its quality fabric, or details. Of course, Paula has developed an ability to offer options that fit the character and that are more favorable to each client.
styles? "I don't like to pigeonhole myself in a specific decade, since the good thing about vintage is the surprises and any time can be incredible. But if I have to choose, I think lately I'm going for the 70-90-2000s, ”she says, considering she already 2000 as a "vintage year".
when asking him to the expert through a city to find pearls and the best shops beyond our dear Barcelona, she exclaims: “Brussels surprised me! I ended up in this spot almost by chance, because I went by proximity to Lille without much expectation. Once there, you can go to Antwerp which is also great for all lovers of our universe."
She eye: As of the month of July molt al Carrer Calaf, 46, in the Sant Gervasi neighbourhood.