In the panorama of companies taking initiatives in sustainable fashion, Miu Miu presented in a limited edition its fourth Upcycled collection for 2024. The Upcycled project, launched in 2020, focuses on vintage clothing to add more value to.

The collection includes Denim, a range of essential jeans garments, characterized by floral embroidery inspired by the haute couture of the 1950s already introduced in the Spring Summer 2022 fashion show. Upcycled wants to establish a connection between past and present by celebrating the stories of those who wore garments, bags or accessories. The new collection features pre-2000 jeans sourced from global denim specialists, with a meticulous hand process to maximize fabric reuse. For the first time in the Upcycled project there are also bags, in particular the Patches made with leather scraps from Miu Miu models of the past.

To commit to transparency, the brand partners with Aura Blockchain Consortium, providing blockchain verification for every item in the collection to ensure authenticity and traceability. Bringing the smartphone close to the NFC tag on the Upcycled product, you can access specific information, exclusive content and the Certificate of Authenticity.

The brand, known for its iconic glasses and richly embellished bags, launched its first Upcycled collection in 2020. It included a capsule of 80 unique items, constructed from non-designer garments spanning the 1930s – 1980s period and selected in boutiques vintage in the world.

What we like:

• the recovery of materials to give greater value (we talked about upcycling here too)
• the connection between past and present
• the message of a positive attitude towards the culture of recovery. The brand, more experimental than the main Prada brand and aimed at young people in contemporary society, can convey the theme of vintage and prolonging the life of what we wear through Upcycled products
• care for durability. The denim creations have been deconstructed and reshaped through a process to preserve the fabric as much as possible
• the precise indication of the composition, including the presence of tissues of animal origin

What can be improved:

• giving indications on the aging and fading process of denim, to evaluate its sustainability
• explaining sustainability and finding alternative materials to silk, beads and crystals or use recycled ones. The floral embroideries that enrich the denim are in fact hand-sewn with silk chiffon petals, faceted beads and black crystals
• the leather details and the label material (leather). Each piece is finished with a leather label featuring the Miu Miu Upcycled logo and an internal white canvas tag. If the label and details also come from scraps, why not indicate this clearly?
• the accessibility of some pieces so as to bring young people even closer together. Loved over time by Millenials, Miu Miu speaks to Gen Z with the Upcycled project

What do you think?

Do you know how many are a lifetime of clothing? Since we usually throw away the clothes we no longer use over time, do we get an idea of how many there are in total?

To answer this question, in 2018 Benjamin Von Wong and Laura François came up with the idea of gathering them all in a single wardrobe, creating the tallest wardrobe in the world: in a single instant, those who look up can see a life of clothes with their own eyes.

The wardrobe is different for each of us, according to the economic availability, the era, the culture. Benjamin and Laura have estimated the number of garments that an average person in an economically developed country wears during their life: 3,000.

In the steel structure, assembled over five long days, 3,000 items donated by volunteer students from Fayoum University were hung on 180 meters of wire inside the Mall of Arabia in Cairo.

As we placed each one we were reminded of the different phases in our lives and just how many clothes we use aloing the way.

Can we imagine the environmental and social impact of our lifelong wardrobe?

The tallest wardrobe in the world wants to remind us to:

Love the clothes we have

Buy only what we need

Sharing what we don’t

We wanted the installation to be more than just a pretty piece of art. We wanted it to become a space which could also be used to generate tangible action and to encourage individuals to think locally.

For this reason, all the used clothes were destined to support Refuge Egypt. “Clothing donations are not always the best approach when wanting to purge your closet,” Laura explains. “Clothing bundles coming from the West and being sold to developing regions for higher prices can ultimately cause a rift in the local economy. Fortunately, this isn’t the case in Egypt. The World’s Tallest Closet was a great opportunity to call the public to action in rethinking their consumption – and also to donate directly to local communities that need it”.

Photos from: Von Wong blog

A selection of (more sustainable) garments prepared for you, to start the new year with many shades of a color that embraces the qualities of blues with a purple-red undertone. With our proposals you can try PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri to express a lively and joyful attitude through your clothes.

Displaying a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit, inquisitive and intriguing PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri helps us to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives. Rekindling gratitude for some of the qualities that blue represents complemented by a new perspective that resonates today, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri places the future ahead in a new light.

We are living in transformative times. PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri is a symbol of the global zeitgeist of the moment and the transition we are going through. As we emerge from an intense period of isolation, our notions and standards are changing, and our physical and digital lives have merged in new ways. Digital design helps us to stretch the limits of reality, opening the door to a dynamic virtual world where we can explore and create new color possibilities. With trends in gaming, the expanding popularity of the metaverse and rising artistic community in the digital space PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri illustrates the fusion of modern life and how color trends in the digital world are being manifested in the physical world and vice versa.

Pantone

> Do you have a garment in the Very Peri shade in your vintage, second-hand or greener and more ethical fashion store? Write to us to insert it in the article.

1. Décolleté shoes Sandro Ferrone, Depop.
2. Vintage beaded necklace (1920-1930s Art Deco), Hidden Hairlooms Sales.
3. Oleg Cassini 90s vintage suit. Classic blue jacket with reverse and black buttons. Blue pleated skirt, Dedè couture.

1. Gianni Versace Couture 90s silk jacket, transparent resin buttons with logo, Alessandra (Vestiaire Collective).
2. Gianni Versace Couture 80s bag, clutch bag model with shoulder strap, zip closure with pendant, Dedè couture .
3. Lurex vintage skirt, Armuar Torino.

1. Taffetà 40s dress, Scrabble frocks.
2. Laura Biagiotti 80s vintage cotton coat, gold-colored buttons, side pockets, Dedè couture.
3. Soft cotton top with silk collar, Depop.

1. Christian Louboutin trainers, Louis Spikes Hi-Tops, Balewink.
2. Kejo down jacket in a beautiful periwinkle color, Depop.
3. Cashmere blend sweater and jacket in coordinated knit fabric, Share Varese 

1. Linen midi dress, Pavietra.
2. Summer dress, with slightly balloon skirt and fabric-covered buttons on the back, Depop.

What is waiting for us in this summer? What swimwear to choose?

Surely also in this summer 2021 we see the timeless bikinis and one-piece swimsuits, especially high-cut ones.

Vintage model swimsuits, colors or patterns, cut-out bikinis and one-piece swimsuits are very popular.

We see a lot: the high-cut, both the briefs and the one-piece, and also more particular models among laces, shapes, lines, fabrics and original embroideries.

But what are the trend items of the summer?

• Chrochet: garments such as tops, dresses and t-shirts, but also light hats and cardigans, and the main feature is that they are crocheted. The classic white is fine but above all the color is better, in fact geometric patterns are preferred.
• Swimwear with cut out: from the classic trikini with large cutout on the navel to swimsuits with a cutout effect. But the summer fashion not to be missed is the cut under the breast.
• Print block & color block: swimwear that also plays with vivid, energetic and vibrant shades. You can feel free to mix even more imaginative patterns together, ranging from floral to abstract or exotic motifs.
• Basic swimwear: swimwear whose basic and minimal style conquers everyone. The solid color bikini is a summer 2021 swimwear trend that can never be missing in your holiday suitcase.
• Low-waisted trousers: low-waisted trousers are a real comeback, especially jeans.
• Pink garments: Pink t-shirts, pants, dresses and accessories will prevail this summer 2021. Pink will be the color of the season!
• Bralette: a little bra and a little top, very comfortable and super trendy. They are perfect for the summer especially if worn with soft trousers but also with a light cardigan on top.
• One-piece swimsuits: swimsuits with plunging neckline and bright shades. Also made in ribbed, the most used models are those in solid colors, but with particular details such as crossed straps or decorated with rhinestones.
• Lace-up Bikinis: The hottest bikini of the season, especially for girls, is filled with adjustable laces, perfect for creating a beautiful knot that hugs the abdomen and hips.

At Dress Ecode, we suggest you more sustainable and alternative materials and brands to fast fashion. You can see below the outfits chosen for you.

Sofia C. – Green Fashion Teen

If you missed the previous article by Sofia C., you can read it  here.

Sofia was born and raised in northern Italy and attends the first year of classical high school.

She is interested in writing and fashion; precisely for this reason she decided to start writing for Dress Ecode News: to learn new notions on sustainable fashion and to inspire a change in the way of dressing of his peers, giving them the tools to choose consciously and wear clothes that respect the environment.

GREEN FASHION TEEN 

^
1. Top

2. Shorts

3. Bikini

^
1. Swimwear

2. Flip flop

^
1. Bikini

2. Top

3. Shorts

^
1. Swimwear

2. Sandal

^
1. Bikini

2. Straw bag

Editor’s note

Editor’s note: Sofia is our teenager who writes about sustainable fashion for fun and passion, with the approval of the parents we have known for many years.
Engaging and talking to kids about sustainable fashion is a child’s play. This is why we involved Sofia.
Her column, dedicated to boys and girls who want not to give up on fashion but care about the environment, is as slow as our approach to information: Sofia writes when she likes it, compatibly with her school commitments, friends and activities that amuse her.
This is why an article on winter garments can also be released in summer, but we treasure her advice, preparing ourselves for the season that will arrive sooner or later
Also, please be patient if a garment is no longer available at the link indicated, because we mainly choose second-hand items and it may happen that in the meantime they are purchased. However, there are many alternatives and in case you need help finding them we are here.

If you have any questions for Sofia write us! (contact_us@dressecode.it)

Thus was born the initiative dedicated to this sector. We want to provide concrete and truthful data on a very atomized market. The goal is to allow the players that make it up to orient themselves in a strategic way, considering the current world trend that will lead second-hand fashion to overcome fast fashion by 2028.

Find out in the gallery what it is! If you sell vintage or second-hand fashion, participate by writing us: dress_ecode@icloud.com. So many stores are already joining! Don’t miss the chance to learn more about what other businesses similar to yours do.

If you are a supporter of second-hand purchases and would like to help businesses in the sector, you can also contribute to giving importance to these realities by sharing this article and spreading the word.

It is time to make this sector the protagonist!

Hi Michela, nice to see you again! Here we are, after the previous  fun episode recorded when we met in Villa Borghese. This time we are in the setting of Piazza Vittorio in Rome. There is a little bit more traffic than last time.

“I’m very happy to see you here Arianna and let’s talk about vintage together again”.

Yes, vintage, always in a very funny way, because the last time the episode of the podcast together was a success. We have enlivened someone’s evenings and we hope so again this time. Among other things, there is a small background that we will then reveal at the end we have already started well, in the sense that we have also begun to involve the people who pass here in the park!

“Not voluntarily but that’s okay!”.

Last time we talked about style falls, about clothes that have a long history, about vintage clothes. We haven’t seen each other in a while so the first thing I ask is’ How’s it going? And how is it going with Cadute di stile?

“That’s good enough. Unfortunately, with Covid, the opportunities to make markets have been very limited. The main part of the Cadute di stile business has failed a little. But I could be able to sell something through apps, especially De Pop and Vinted. So yes, it’s a bit slow but that’s okay ”.

And how is the research going? Because apart from the sale… are you able to find pieces even in times of pandemics and therefore without the markets?

“Unfortunately, the search for pieces has also slowed down a bit. The only positive thing is that I still had a fair number of items to sell that I had accumulated during that period, in which I could easily go and refuel. So I live a little of what I had accumulated in other periods “.

Luckily you had this stock, in order to be able to sell even in this period! Today we are here because I was intrigued by your last post you published on Cadute di stile blog. I have read it and I must tell you that I am among those who groped in the dark in front of the term retro and that, by dint of blunders as you say, I arrived on your blog looking for this term. Let’s shed some light on the meaning of vintage and retro.

“Yes, they often get confused, they are used distinctly with each other and vice versa. But vintage is, as we may have already said last time, everything that was produced at least 20 years ago and that to some extent has become iconic, therefore very recognizable even after some time. For example, the Nay Oleari folders from the 1980s”.

Gorgeous! I always tell you, when you get one let me know!

“Sure! Or the 90s Invicta backpacks, the ones with bright colors, let’s say. Or even the Swatch. These are examples that are also relatively close to us. So vintage is what was produced at least 20 years ago and that has an iconic quality to some extent. Instead retrò is something that has been recently produced with a line that recalls lines of past periods, styles, colors of past periods. They may be similar from the point of view of how they appear to the eye, but they are very different in the sense that they were produced in two different eras, and also in different ways to a good extent. We will go into more detail”.

So is retrò a copy of vintage? Is it a sort of  ‘I would like but I can’t find what I’m looking for, so I buy something that looks like it’?

“Yes, it depends on the type of retrò. In the sense that there is a retrò specialized in reproductions that are historically also very accurate, while instead there is the back of H&M, when it brings out a collection that has lines and colors that refer to the 80s or the 90s, with particular patterns. So retrò is an atmosphere, a mood and, yes, retrò is actually as if it were a vintage that is more at hand. In the sense that you have that atmosphere that refers to a bygone era, but you don’t have the actual provenance, you don’t have the original. And you can play hard not to have the original because maybe they are pieces inspired by historical periods of which there is not much left. Because for example 20s or 30s dresses, especially in silk for example or that have sequins attached. They were much more perishable garments than in other historical periods, which preferred other fabrics or other processes. So in some cases the retrò is the only solution that one has to be able to dress with pieces that refer to that period”.

Now, because we mentioned also fast fashion, I get a straightforward question in relation to this, but are vintage clothing and accessories more expensive than retrò ones? The fact that they are used by some retailers but not only. Is vintage more expensive than retrò?

“We say yes in general, but this is also a simplification, because you can also find vintage on the market stall, at that point it is not expensive at all”.

For a few euros it will happen to you too, maybe you will find some very affordable pieces of the past!

“Yes, vice versa, for example, you were talking about swing before, those who dance swing very often dress with a whole series of garments that refer to periods such as the 40s, with shoes that have the shape similar to that of the shoes of the years 40 and also have a feature that allows you to dance. They are such a specialized product that it is very difficult to think of finding them for a few euros”.

Yes, let’s explain that the hint for swing dance is because I told you, Michela, that I did a swing dance course, now obviously interrupted also due to the pandemic. I tried it for the passion I have for vintage, for what is of the past. So I understand that there is not only fast fashion that takes the lines of the past, but there is also a whole other type of production, like the one you mentioned, of clothing accessories for example that are used for the swing. Another type of producers than large companies.

“Yes, among other things, for those who, for example, are part of some subcultures for whom it is very important to dress in a style that is faithful to that of a particular era, it may also happen that you buy vintage pieces because they resemble those that they refer to their own historical epoch. For example, those who dress with the style of the 40s. Often not finding in abundance clothes actually dating back to the 40s, they turn to those of the 80s, in which there are the so-called fantastic powersuite also for women, the jackets with very padded shoulder pads , structured”.

It makes me remind of the one I wore last time!

“The one with all the glitter!”

That’s right, this makes me think of another question I wanted to ask you. What is the profile of the person who chooses vintage? Who choeses the retrò? Now you are actually describing to me who has both: when someone perhaps chooses to have a style of a particular reference period, he tries to draw a little from one type of piece, a little from another.
Or have you identified particular profiles of people who buy both?

“You know, I think not, in the sense that it is precisely because they are very close in terms of availability and also in meaning that it is also difficult to say ‘there is someone who only dresses vintage or only dresses retrò’. They are two worlds that often meet and the problem arises when maybe a retrò piece is passed off as vintage”.

Indeed! People who are listening will be wondering ‘Why do these two find themselves one day in Rome in a square, in a park, talking about the differentiation between vintage and retrò? Mental lucubrations?  Don’t know they how to spend the time?’ No, because there is actually a reason why we ask ourselves this question! Why ask the difference between the two terms? Michela let’s explain why it is important.

“Because, for example, it has often happened to me lately on the apps I use to sell and buy vintage and second-hand garments, I have often read descriptions where retrò garments were considered vintage. Where vintage simply means something that has a look of the past. So this is above all a misconception that must be dispelled. Because it may happen that you are buying a piece of H&M and maybe you pay even more for it than if you had bought it in the store, because someone called it vintage. Because it seemed plausible to you that it was vintage. I say ‘you’, but also ‘me’, in general”.

This makes me think that you have to keep your eyes open, because honestly buying something that you later discover is from H&M and instead you had the idea of ​​buying vintage, especially if you are attentive to sustainability you get even more nervous. Because if this choice, on the other hand, is dictated by a slightly more responsible approach to buying clothes, and maybe you want to avoid having a certain brand, you think you are taking something from the past, that’s a great rip off. That’s why we’re here to talk about it.

“Then above all because it is very difficult to understand from the photos. It is one thing if you are in the shop. You can’t see all the details you need to understand where the garment comes from. If you have to rely on the photos you see then it is more difficult to understand”.

So when we talk about the vintage garment, that remains the sustainable choice. When instead we take H&M or any other fast fashion brand (because we don’t necessarily want to put this brand in a bad light), when we choose instead a piece of a retrò fast fashion collection, the choice is not so sustainable. Because we always talk about fashion.

“Of course, because we find ourselves with a garment that cost the environment a lot, it cost a lot to those who physically produced it, it will cost us a lot because we will find it in tatters after wearing it 3-4 times, so it’s not a very responsible choice”.

Does it happen that someone asks you this difference, that they turn to you just to ask you for help in understanding if something is retrò or vintage? Was the article born because requests were received or because you yourself got burned on the subject?

“Definitely the second you said, in the sense that it was I who wanted to talk about this. Because in my opinion it is a big misstep that we are always there to do”.

Yes, it is a misstep that is easy to take, it can happen to any of us to be misled. On the Cadute di stile website, in the blog, I saw that you explain in detail how to understand if a garment is vintage or retrò, since the two types of clothing can be confused. But, Michela, apart from going deeper into the article you wrote, can you give us a couple of suggestions? For example, are there any differences in the labels?

“Yes, the differences in the labels are perhaps the easiest thing to control. A vintage label carries much more fragmentary information than a contemporary label, which we know well for being a papyrus. First of all, vintage labels have fewer colors, slightly more antiquated fonts, there are usually very different sizes from the sizes that show current garments. This may already be something to look at”.

Of course it’s more difficult online as you said, because maybe you don’t see the label well in a photo, but we can ask to take a photo of the label right?

“Yes, the label is one of those elements that it is certainly very feasible to ask to be photographed. Or, for example, zips, zippers: those that have metal teeth are much more likely vintage than those of nylon, which are much more recent production, let’s say from the 1980s. Before this period they had metal teeth”.

From the photos it is always a bit difficult to be able to figure out the zip, so you should ask for more information. I generally find that it is not wrong, especially when shopping online. Then maybe in the role of a seller like you is a bit of a nuisance when people ask questions. However, it is always better before buying these pieces and perhaps finding yourself with something of the fast fashion, which you wanted instead vintage. Perhaps it is better to bother a  little more.

“But I would like people to ask me things like that! Because it would mean that he/she is already aware of something that could happen!”.

I smile because in the other episode we talked about customers, you have made an article on how to defend ourself from somewhat strange customers! I smile for that (for those who haven’t listened to the other episode). Because they actually ask you a completely different kind of question!

“The most popular of which is ‘can you go down 60%?'”.

That’s a classic!  60% … really with great courage. It is not that it asks you to make a discount, but 60%! Among other things, on Cadute di stile we are not talking about prices of thousands of euros, the prices you propose are always very affordable. This makes a little bit smile

“Another thing that makes us understand very clearly that it is a retrò piece instead of a vintage piece is when there are so many different sizes and colors available. This is because the production limits that were in a previous historical period are no longer there now, in which it is very easy to produce pieces in series with different variants. This makes us understand that maybe it is a retrò piece”.

In certain eras there was still no mass production of fashion.

“And even if it started to be there, a lot of time has passed and therefore not all the pieces have reached us”.

So, if we see that for example there is the possibility to choose between more sizes, we already understand that we are facing the new retro, due to the availability that exists. But then we said before that it can also be small businesses and many seamstresses, tailors, artisans and many very small brands that make these collections with cuts from the past come to mind, we are facing a slightly more sustainable approach than fashion. We do not want to condemn retro in favor of vintage, we must always go and look at the different realities as they are. One question, however, Michela … The other time we talked about the pieces of Cadute di stile, we saw many vintage pieces that I also tried to wear, we took photos with the pieces and with Cadute di stile we always talk about slips. Because the name comes from this. But have you ever made a slip into retrò? Are there any retrò pieces also in Cadute di stile?

“Voluntarily not, but I think unconsciously there are quite a few!”.

Without wanting to, you too have fallen into the trap, as we said before, so maybe are there any?

“Yes, yes, of course, because in any case Cadute di stile is both vintage and second-hand. In the second-hand world we now find everything and the opposite of everything in terms of style, so yes, surely there are some retrò pieces”.

But it is second-hand, so we are always in the field of responsible fashion.

“We always land on our feet!”.

That’s right, we can’t go wrong with Cadute di stile!
This time I would say quietly even with the noises in the background, in short, we were able to record and carry on this episode too. Michela is there still something we want to say at the end of the episode? We will do a third part, we reveal that we will find another topic and we will do a third episode always live outside if you like.

“Okay, yes, very happy”.

So we keep company with a chat always about sustainability, telling precisely about the pieces. If there is something particular that happens to your hands we meet again,  so you tell us about, and we hope to meet at a market  too.

“Maybe! it would be nice”.

Outdoors maybe it would be very nice. So if you participate in the market we come to visit you and ask you a few questions about the pieces you have for sale.

“Gladly, we hope!”.

Meanwhile, thank you very much for your availability Michela!

“It’s always a pleasure, thank you!”.

You can find Cadute di stile here:

Site: https://cadutedistile.it

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cadute_di_stile/

Vintag: https://www.vintag.store/meezedd?lang=it

Depop: https://www.depop.com/cadute_di_stile/

Photos: Michela Zedda

• COVID-19
• Digitization of the offer
• Economic uncertainty
• Interest in sustainability
• Influence of social media
• Search for the unique piece

30-40 billion dollars, the value of the second-hand market

A report by Boston Consulting Group created on behalf of Vestiaire Collective, the French online sales platform for luxury second-hand clothes, estimates the current value of the global second-hand market between 30 and 40 billion dollars, equal to 2% of the entire fashion and luxury market. The growth forecast is between 10% and 15% per year by 2024.

The youngest generation is showing that they want to help solve fashion waste in the long run

According to another study from 10 billion in 2009, the expected growth is considerable. A phenomenon that goes beyond a temporary fashion trend. About 40% of Generation Z respondents planned to buy used, 30% of Millennials and 20% of Generation X. A figure that inspires optimism: the younger generation is showing that they want to help solve fashion waste in the long term (1).

The trend of second-hand purchases comes from the United States, where the second-hand market developed already in the hippie years (70s), giving everyone the opportunity to sell and buy clothing no longer used, making room in the wardrobe for one part and enriching it at an affordable price on the other.

And in Europe? At DressEcode, we wondered about this trend in 3 countries (United Kingdom, France and Italy) to understand how much consumption habits are culturally pervading. Is it one of the changes in consumer paradigms in the post-Covid era?

United Kingdom

Second-hand, pre-owned or pre-loved shops are part of the clothing market with a stable number of stores over the last 10 years (about 4,000 between 2008 and 2018) (2).

Sales of used items on eBay have saved the equivalent of 900 double-decker buses of clothing from being dispersed, thrown away or incinerated

 An eBay study reveals:

• The lockdown period prompted 12 million Brits to buy used clothes in 2020
• 66 million second-hand pieces have found a new home
• A sales rate of 2 second-hand fashion items every 3 seconds, between January and July 2020
• Sales growth of 30% between March and June 2020 and of 1,211% compared to the same period in 2018
• The sales have made it possible to avoid the equivalent of 900 double-decker buses of clothes from being dispersed, thrown away or incinerated.

UK sales of second-hand fashion even surpassed US sales on eBay. Emma Grant, head of the second-hand fashion department of a well-known online sales site, said that in the UK the quarantine has accelerated the transition to a more conscious and sustainable society (3).

France

The second-hand phenomenon (d’occasion) was born with the antiques markets, called marchés aux puces. Here from the 2000s onwards there are more and more vintage fashion items. As in friperies shops (from fripe, old rag).
If in 2009 25% of the French bought second-hand, in 2018 48% bought used (4). In 2019, 39% bought at least one dress or accessory used on mobile applications

The retail giants  are about to create second-hand departments

Hélène Janicaud, head of the fashion sector at the analysis firm Kantar, says that during the confinement 40% of French people lightened their wardrobe. In the second quarter of 2020, the number of articles published on Vinted app grew by 17% (Le Monde).

A market, that of second-hand fashion, estimated at 1 billion euros, growing by 10% annually according to the Institut français de la mode.

An attractive figure also for the giants of retail, who are preparing to develop collaborative projects with clothing brands to create second-hand departments. This is the case of Auchan for example, which has already opened used departments in 5 of its supermarkets, or of Zalando, which will extend the presence of the second-hand department to France, after Germany and Spain.

The success of the Vinted platform in France brings the French market to the top of European sales of used clothing:

• 21 million users of the platform worldwide
• 8 million French users, with an average daily consultation frequency of 1.5 million visitors, thus placing the Lithuanian app in the top 10 of e-commerce, just behind eBay (5).

The Lithuanian giant’s competitors in France are many. In our opinion there are two main ones:

• Once Again, which aims to interface between sellers and buyers, with a guarantee of quality and the possibility of buying clothes in bandle regardless of the seller;
• Vestiaire Collective, the French platform created in 2009, which defines itself as the world’s first market place for the sale of luxury fashion items and which benefited from an investment of 40 million euros in June 2019 by Condé Nast to dedicate to its development international.

Italy

Precise data on the consumption of second-hand fashion in Italy are not available, but we do have an overview of second-hand purchases in general made in our country. In the last 5 years, the second-hand sector has grown by 33%, reaching 24 billion euros in 2019, equal to 1.3% of the Italian GDP. The “home and personal products” sector, which includes clothing, is worth a total of 2.8 billion euros. The trend, already underway before the pandemic, was mainly driven by online (in 2018 it generated value of 10.5 billion euros) (6).

Between March and June 2020, Italy recorded 128% more orders for second-hand clothes (on Vestiaire Collective)

Second-hand fashion has literally exploded during 2020, thanks mainly to 3 levers:

• Economic: in addition to limiting access to physical stores, the economic crisis accompanying the ongoing health crisis has favored the use of second-hand purchases with items whose price is more accessible, in line with the decrease in purchasing power during the lock down period.
• Environmental: the sale and purchase of second hand are in 4th place among the most widespread sustainable behaviors among Italians (49%), immediately after separate collection waste (95%), the purchase of LED bulbs (77%) ) and zero km products (56%) (6).
• Social: the growing phenomenon of fashion bloggers, who propose the latest outfits, increases the desire of users/followers to frequently renew their wardrobe. The preference for the second hand increases. A trend encouraged by the same fashion bloggers who, according to Nss G-Club, after showing new clothes, resell them on the second-hand market.

With 41% of European fashion production, Italy is the first country in Europe for the production of textiles, clothing and accessories (7). Is this also why, until a few years ago, second-hand fashion was not such a widespread consumer habit?

From a data processing by Vestiaire Collective for Il Sole 24 Ore, between March and June 2020 Italy recorded an increase in second-hand clothing deposits of 137%, and 128% of orders, with a particular boom in 3 categories: menswear (+ 190%), women’s ready-to-wear (+ 149%) and women’s accessories (+ 108%).

In the study, the data indicate that:

• Those who buy are on average between 30 and 50 years old
• The seller is between 35 and 45 years old
• The biggest buyers of second-hand fashion are women between the ages of 25 and 34 (75%)

The consolidation of this trend as a real new consumer habit is confirmed by the development of online sales proposals, but not only. In addition to the well-known Depop, Armadio Verde and the newcomer to Italy Vinted, Italy has many physical outlets for second-hand clothes and accessories (you can find them in our map of sustainable clothing stores).

Despite the perceptions that were still found a few years ago, Italy is also following the global trend of preference for second-hand fashion items.
If the main reason for this fervor still remains the economic one, the new generations, mainly Gen. Z, are the driving force for this cultural change, proudly displaying their second-hand purchases in the name of sustainability.

Fast fashion is experiencing its final years at the top of the industry sales ranking

An important figure in our opinion is that of the forecast of the trend between now and 2028 of the value of the second-hand market that will surpass fast fashion. Reading several reports (BCG, thredUP and some national observers), fast fashion is experiencing its final years at the top of the industry sales ranking.

A beautiful opening for a different future of the fashion world, which we hope will benefit first and foremost the workers of the countries exploited by the big fashion buyers in the production phases, but also to protect the environment: the biggest global challenge in the next 30 years.

Anne-Laure Petton

Photos: Dress Ecode; Priscilla du Preez; Onur Bahçıvancılar; Thomas Vogel; Jaclyn Moy; Dress Ecode.

(1) Report thredUP 2020

(2) Statista.com

(3) Fashionunited.uk

(4) Report 2019 di Centre de recherche pour l’étude et l’observation des conditions de vie

(5) Report of Médiamétrie

(6) 6th edition of Osservatorio Second Hand Economy, BVA Doxa.

(7) Carlo Capasa, president of Camera della moda italiana in an open letter to government, published on La Repubblica, April 11 2020.

Maybe you are doing the slalom between articles, posts and stories that suggest purchases for the holidays, now here is also Dress Ecode on the subject! We have worked hard in the last weeks so that it was not the usual Christmas guide. We are not for pushing to buy in the occasion of a particular holiday or time of the year, because the consumption model we propose wants to spread greater responsibility in our daily choices.

We hope you will find here useful tips not only for buying but also for experiencing this period, and for choosing gifts, with an extra focus on sustainability.

Non troverai una carrellata di marchi e prodotti. Anche perché non riusciremmo a includere tutti quelli che ci piacciono. Abbiamo preferito focalizzarci sulle idee, in linea con la nostra filosofia di diffondere come acquistare in modo più responsabile. Per conoscere brand e artigiani che realizzano i doni che consigliamo, qui sul sito trovi davvero tanti spunti selezionando la categoria «Dove acquistare». You won’t find a roundup of brands and products. Also because we would not be able to include all the ones we like. We preferred to focus on ideas, in line with our philosophy of spreading how to buy more responsibly. To learn about brands and artisans who make the gifts we recommend, here on the site you will find many ideas by selecting the category «Where to buy».

You will not find discounts, because we would like all the work and commitment behind artisanal, handmade, slow and more sustainable products to always be recognized at the right price. Instead, you will find a surprise at the end: how much we like brands that talk about other brands!

Available in preview to the most loyal readers who have chosen to adopt a Dress Ecode, this guide is a gift to all readers.

A long article that becomes a guide, because there are many things to say on the subject of gifts and parties. It is not exhaustive, but full of contents to be read even in episodes, to find tips for choosing gifts in a more responsible and pleasant way, valid all year round, not just at Christmas.
And here it is, a special issue of Dress Ecode dressed up for the holidays!

If you like it and want to receive more, join the group of people who want a greener and more ethical fashion (and lifestyle). You will be able to read the guides that we have already created and you will receive the next ones that we will publish exclusively.

Let us and the brands you decide to buy a gift from know that it was useful* and if you followed a suggestion you read!

Do you want to read the guide? Click on the image below:

* We write as objectively as possible and independently , which is why we choose not to receive sponsorships. If we decide to include advertising information, we will communicate this clearly.

Hi Michela, thank you, I am very happy that we met today in Villa Borghese on this beautiful sunny day. I was very keen to have you as a guest to tell about your page, site and on line shop, not only because we always like to talk about the sustainable option of second-hand fashion.

“Clothes your mother despises and your grandmother approves.” “The out of fashion just before it gets cool”. “The button that is missing from the jacket of good taste”: I had to know you! Because with this presentation of Cadute di stile (“Lapses of style”) I really wanted to meet you and to discover more about you. First of all, let’s tell who you are and what you do, Michela.

“Thank you Arianna, thank you for your interest and for the work you do to promote sustainable fashion. I have been involved in photography and web design for about 3 years, maybe even more. In these 3 years I started Cadute di stile in my free time from activities”.

So you come from another world, that of photography! Even if taking a look at the site you immediately see the photographer’s eye, because the lights and colors attract, in addition to the very original slogans. Cadute di stile: what is it?

“It is a small amateur activity of selection and resale of vintage and second-hand clothing and accessories”.

We always talk about this ‘vintage’. We also write about it a lot on the Dress Ecode website and page, but why don’t we remind  what vintage means and above all what is vintage fashion?

“Speaking above all of clothing and accessories, by vintage we mean any type of object produced at least 20 years ago and which has an iconic quality. For example, Swatch watches are vintage. The Naj Oleari schoolbag from the 80s may be vintage. Vintage fashion is the fashion that brings together modern clothing and garments that come from the past, especially considering the fact that fashion is cyclical. What may be out of fashion now will no longer be in 10 years. There is this constant re-circulating pieces of clothing or accessories that are part of the past but will be part of the future of fashion”.

Like now with the 80s. The clothes we saw in those years have disappeared for quite some time and instead lately they have come back into fashion. What do you like, Michela, about used and vintage items? How did your passion start?

“I started visiting the markets when I was a teenager and I started dressing like that, even against my mother’s complaints! ‘What are you going to buy in those shops, it’s all dirty, it’s all half broken!’. But I liked it, also because I saw its charm, certainly not the worn or used component. I liked it and I still like it above all because it allows you to get out of the canons of the already seen, the uniforming fashion that makes you dress exactly as 10,000 other people around you dress. And then there is also the ecological component, caring for the environment and the use of resources, so with vintage dressing something that already has a past behind it, you avoid buying something that perhaps has an unclean production mechanism”.

So you have always dressed yourself in second-hand and vintage clothes. It is a passion born for some time.

“Yes, by the way, up to a certain point I was wearing everything I bought. From a certain point on, I started wearing everything in gray and black, but I kept the pleasure of looking for coloured pieces, with particular patterns. The next step was ‘Ok, I like to look for them, find them, maybe I don’t wear them anymore like I used to, but I also like to put them back in circulation for someone else”.

You mentioned earlier your mother, who saw this your passion for second-hand purchases a bit like this. Did you tell me about the business they still have, what they do and where? Because today we meet here in Rome but your family is…

“In Sardinia. I am originally from Cagliari and I have been moving to Rome for about 15 years. My parents now have a business of tailoring repairs, until 20 years ago they were trading fabrics. So as a child, in the 80s and 90s, I would go around their shop and dress with the scraps of fabric that I found around. I think a lot of the taste for fabrics certainly comes from the fact that these fabric samples were circulating where I saw gold trims, spotted patterns, flowers and florals of all kinds. I would never have said that I would pay in this way!”.

Sei cresciuta in mezzo al vintage e ai tessuti. Oggi che sei qui e ti occupi di questo deriva da tutta questa serie di esperienze che hai fatto fin da bambina, immagino che ti divertivi con gli scampoli! “Cadute di stile: mi sono chiesta tanto come ti è venuto in mente questo nome!” You grew up in the midst of vintage and textiles. Today that you are here and you take care of this comes from all this series of experiences you have had since childhood, I guess you had fun with the offcuts! “Cadute di stile”: I wondered how much this name came to your mind!

“It occurred to me because Cadute di stile started out as an Instagram profile. You may have noticed that on Instagram there is always a tendency to give more space to the aspect of wild self-promotion. Everyone all looks his/her best, with the right profile, the best angle for pictures. Instead Cadute di stile really wanted to be in contrast. Here there are slips and it is good that everyone knows! It’s a programmatic thing! All the phrases you mentioned earlier were also born from there, because the fall in style is precisely the imperfection that betrays you when you least expect it. And that I actively seek because it is beautiful!”.

It’s nice, but it looks simple and in reality it isn’t either. Just as you search for the perfect style, so even the fall of style is not easy, you have to work hard!

“You have to train, yes!”.

Returning to the slogans you remembered now: they are fantastic! also the names you have chosen for the sections that are found within the site, where we can browse your shop. I wanted to see them with you to understand what these names hide! Let’s start with “Clothes from a distant future: antics from the dark wardrobe door”.

“These are names that I am committed to making as less understandable as possible! It is the clothing section where the remote future is what we were talking about before about vintage, so something that was out of fashion, that will come back into fashion and therefore connects the future and the past”.

Wonderful! “Bizarre bijoux: little value, dubious taste, great effect!”. What do we find in this section?

“This is the section that concerns jewelry, bijoux in general, mainly earrings”.

It is in this section that I found the earrings I bought, because I couldn’t resist seeing the photos of Cadute di stile not to buy! Then there is a section that is a bit of a mystery: “The Great Accessoriati: maybe initiates, always dress up”. Tell us what’s in here!

“There are handbags, my beloved bum bags and everything that falls into the accessories category. Always very dark, because in fact we go to rammage in the darkness of the wardrobes and not only, also of the second-hand sections, of the shops, of the markets”.

TYour eyes light up when you talk about it, Michela, we can see that you really like to go in search of these pieces. How do you find these particular items?

“Can I give you an answer like a real fool? They are the ones who find me!”.

They call you!

“Yes, when I see something particularly colorful or with a particularly strange shape, some absurd shapes, I can’t resist and my heart beats. I feel that at that moment the love at first sight has taken place”.

For example, today you brought with you some pieces that we show in the photos. Can you tell us about these pieces?

“So we have earrings that come from a warehouse fund of a Roman perfumery, which I adventurously found on the internet. Going through advertisements that are months and months old I found this supply, about 80 pieces, of earrings. very simple clip to the very elaborate, very baroque one, to the even more playful one, which has a slightly strange shape, star, pointed.

I also brought some watches that are the poor cousins of the Swatches, they unquestionably come from the same period, the 80s-90s, for the graphics that are above and the illustrations and are a more or less fullosome copy. Nostalgia also makes us plausible what we would never have considered at the time! ‘If it’s not a Swatch I don’t want it!’.

Then a shirt, also from her from the 90s, with a dark blue background and teal triangles”.

What about this brightly coloured skirt?

“This is a purple skirt with small grosgrain inserts of various colors and it is by Versus (Versace). I say this with a bit of fear, because I am not among the hunters of vintage pieces who love brands. On the contrary, I am going to hide because it is very little a style drop! This is style with the stamp approved!”.

Brava per essere riuscita a trovarla! Prendiamo Cadute di stile in modo ironico, ma in realtà ci sono pezzi belli, non è per forza lo scivolone! Ti avevo chiesto di vedere il pezzo invece più assurdo e incredibile, quale hai portato? Brava for being able to find it! We take Cadute di stile  in an ironic way, but in reality there are beautiful pieces, it is not necessarily a slip! I asked you to see the most absurd and incredible piece instead, which one did you bring?

“It is a tunic with a belt of the same fabric. This discovery took place in the shop of my parents who have kept the old shop that used to be fabrics, now it has become a tailor’s shop. Mom’s clients occasionally bring clothes they basically don’t know what to do with”.

So they don’t just deal with repairs, they still have contact with these old fashioned pieces!

“Yes, from time to time there are some really beautiful pieces. This I think is the most spatial of all. Just spatial as it was intended in the 70s in the Earth Wind and Fire videos. Because there are these small golden inserts, an iridescent color that we were talking about earlier, mentioning the lizards. Reptile fashion is the new must for next season!”.

Fantastic! A unique and particular piece. As soon as you took it out of your magical bag it reminds me a  lizard, it’s spectacular!

I also really like the support you offer to those who carry out the same business as you, giving advice to those who, like you, sell online. For example, on your blog you explain where and how to sell vintage clothes, how to survive the Facebook Marketplace and also tell “How to recognize problematic customers and walk away painlessly”. I immediately made myself an examination of conscience…! What are the problem customers? Tell me about the most feared by those who have a vintage and used shop!

“Yes, then, mine is a predominantly online business. I’ve done some flea markets, where the customer is different because when you meet him face to face, however problematic it may be, he always has an additional modesty. Which often loses on line, because you don’t see the person you’re talking to. The worst thing that can happen is that they ask you for millions of details about something they absolutely have no intention of buying or they magically disappear despite having already made an appointment for delivery”.

In the article you also give some advice on how to deal with these problematic customers.

“Yes, I think anyone who has a minimum of familiarity with social networks realizes that if you contact someone who has 10 followers and no profile photo it is obvious that it is a fake profile. It is simply about putting together little clues and not ignoring them”.

I really liked the article because you don’t just think about you but write for people like you who do this job, it’s a bit unusual and I really appreciate it. We talked a lot about your shop, if we want to buy your fabulous pieces where can we find you?

“On Instagram, with a private message we can arrange the delivery. And on 2 platforms that are Depop and Vintag, exclusively dedicated to the sale of vintage and second-hand items, accessories and clothes”.

I have a question for you, I can’t help but ask you: what is the most slippery slip you’ve seen or wore?

“I recently saw a documentary about Anna Piaggi, a fashion journalist. I think one of the first to have cleared vintage fashion. I bow to her because she is the master of all the failures of style. In the good sense, that is to put together so many styles that it is an explosion of colors, patterns, fabrics, materials that at that point the fall in style becomes a work of art”.

Era il discorso a cui accennavamo prima. Sembra molto più facile rispetto a vestire con stile, in realtà anche fare scivoloni con gusto richiede un certo impegno. It’s the aspect we mentioned earlier: seems a lot easier than dressing in style, actually slipping tastefully takes some effort too.

“Yes, certainly and in her case also a certain culture”.

But you have chosen a true blue slip!

In fashion interviews usually people ask for style advice. But no, this time we ask for a (fall) style advice!

The basic faux pas that even absolute beginners can do is for example to mix two different patterns, such as a striped t-shirt and a tartan skirt. What does it take? There it is, the fall of style! Which, however, depending on how you take it can be something that also has its own credibility. It is always in the eye of the beholder the fall of style, after all!”.

Michela, thank you so much for taking the time, for the fun afternoon also taking pictures. Thanks, we will see you in person for sure!

“Thanks to you, it was a great experience, I had a lot of fun. Thanks!”.

Site: https://cadutedistile.it

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cadute_di_stile/

Vintag: https://www.vintag.store/meezedd?lang=it

Depop: https://www.depop.com/cadute_di_stile/

 Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: Best Vintage Mrkt Italy

Una vetrina di oggetti che ci conducono in un viaggio nel tempo leggendone la storia e scoprendone le origini. Tante curiosità che finalmente vengono soddisfatte, grazie a Eugenio Argento, fondatore di Best Vintage Mrkt Italy, a cui chiediamo di spiegare meglio come funziona e come può esserci d’aiuto questa bacheca digitale di pezzi vintage.

Cos’è Best Vintage Mrkt Italy?

“Best Vintage Mrkt Italy (che mi piace abbreviare con BVM) è principalmente un ponte che comunica col passato; permette alle persone di scoprire la storia, le curiosità e il valore monetario di un pezzo vintage che si è trovato (o ritrovato) a casa propria o dei nonni. BVM non è il classico mercatino vintage, ma è una bacheca di pezzi vintage italiani che vive ed è alimentata dai suoi follower. Sono proprio loro che danno vita alla pagina: attraverso dei passaggi molto semplici, ognuno di loro può ricevere una recensione gratuita sul pezzo vintage, aiutandoli così nell’acquisto (per chi ad esempio cerca per passione o per collezionismo quel pezzo), nella vendita o semplicemente a capire se quello che si ha tra le mani è qualcosa di valore e autentico da esporre in casa propria (per far bella figura con amici e parenti)”.

Perché è nato BVM?

“BVM (ed è vero) nasce per caso, dall’obbligo della quarantena per il Coronavirus. Lo stare in casa mi ha fatto scoprire tanti pezzi vintage a casa dei miei genitori che non avevo mai visto e su cui non avevo mai posto l’attenzione. Quando ritrovo un pezzo appartenuto a mio nonno o a mio padre (o ancora meglio tramandato) mi emoziono e mi emoziona ancora di più sapere che quello che ho in mano ha una storia e ha un valore (affettivo e, senza essere ipocriti, economico). La prima cosa che mi chiedo quando ritrovo qualcosa di vintage è: chissà se è autentico? Chissà a che anno risale? Oppure: che valore avrà e come faccio a scoprirlo? BVM è nato da qui, mi sono detto: ‘ma se ci fosse una pagina (o in un futuro, un app) che ti permettesse di scoprire semplicemente tramite una foto e alcune informazioni di sapere tutto questo e soprattutto gratis?!’

L’obiettivo è quello di creare una bacheca e una community del vintage virtuale italiano e (non mi vergogno a dirlo) magari un domani (pensando in grande) potrà anche espandersi in altri Paesi (magari qualcuno che vorrà condividere con me quest’avventura) e portare anche a qualcosa di fisico, ad esempio un negozio che possa essere un punto di contatto tra il ritrovatore del passato e il collezionista”.

Come hai deciso di cominciare questa avventura?

“Ho deciso di iniziare per tenere occupato il cervello nei fine settimana, dalla noia anche del solito lavoro da ufficio e perché ho sempre avuto un’anima creativa e devo dire che la quarantena e il periodo di prova psicologica che stiamo vivendo mi ha aiutato a mettermi in gioco e a provarci“.

Come funziona?

“I passaggi per ottenere una recensione del tuo pezzo vintage sono molto semplici:
1. Segui la pagina su Instagram o Facebook;
2. Invia (in direct su Instagram o in privato su Facebook) alla pagina di BVM una foto (o più) del pezzo vintage. Per Instagram chiedo solitamente a chi mi contatta di impegnarsi leggermente di più nello scatto della foto, perché comunque tengo molto all’aspetto estetico della pagina;
3. Scrivi tutte le informazioni che si hanno a disposizione e che non è possibile individuare dalla foto (modello, marca, anno, funzionante o non, ecc.). Più dettagli si danno, più precisa e affidabile potranno essere la recensione e la stima del valore;
4. Suggeriscimi un contatto di un amico che potrò taggare nella recensione;
5. Ottieni la tua recensione sulla pagine di BVM”.

Perché hai scelto il vintage? 

“Perché ho sempre visto con un altro occhio tutto ciò che non appartiene all’epoca in cui viviamo. Questo legame col passato, forse per nostalgia o gusto, mi ha sempre contraddistinto (chi mi conosce lo sa). Ho sempre trovato geniale e artistico riportare di moda ai giorni nostri qualcosa che qualcuno non ha mai visto o aveva dimenticato. E poi il vintage può essere unico e avere qualcosa di unico ti rende speciale rispetto agli altri. Figurati che un mio amico si è innamorato di un paio di occhiali da sole vintage che ho ritrovato nel cassetto di mio papà e ogni anno mi fa offerte esorbitanti per averli, ma io non cedo!

Mi piace perché ogni cosa ha una storia, perché prima di noi l’ha posseduta qualcun altro e questo ti fa anche fantasticare. Una macchina da scrivere, un registratore con dentro un vecchio nastro, un paio di occhiali da sole, una macchina fotografica, il montone di papà, una Polaroid mi danno emozione solo ad elencarteli. Ecco, mi piace il sentimento che suscita dentro di noi“.

Il pezzo vintage che ti piace di più?

“Questa non è una domanda semplice. Perché in realtà non ho mai pensato a qualcosa che mi piace più del resto proprio perché ogni cosa è bella per una motivo diverso.
Personalmente, se devo farti un elenco, in primis gli occhiali da sole, poi le macchine fotografiche vintage funzionanti (Polaroid) e poi giradischi e vinili”.

Come ti sei preparato per iniziare BVM?

“Se posso essere sincero, prima di aprire questa pagina ero un semplice amatore e appassionato. Ho sempre girato per i mercatini vintage della città alla ricerca di qualcosa di raro, particolare o anche solo per guardare. Grazie a BVM sto imparando tanto e studio anche molto. Fare una recensione richiede tempo e richiede soprattutto precisione (perché il rischio su internet di cadere in siti web truffa è veramente elevato). Per cui, quando mi arriva un pezzo faccio tante ricerche e confronti e comincio a mettere insieme i pezzi, costruendo a poco a poco tramite le fonti che trovo (un po’ come quando scrivi una tesi di laurea). Bisogna avere pazienza e poi grazie a internet oggi abbiamo tutto a portata di mano, basta saper cercare”.

Ci daresti qualche consiglio per acquistare vintage?

“Il consiglio è quello di controllare in maniera molto attenta l’usura del pezzo (qualsiasi esso sia), molte volte presi dalla foga del momento si viene attratti da qualcosa e si compra senza vedere i particolari. Le truffe soprattutto nell’abbigliamento vintage sono molto facili e la gente sa anche vendere molto bene; per cui guardate bene i particolari. Per quanto riguarda l’oggettistica, se non siete degli intenditori e magari pensate di aver trovato qualcosa di raro o di valore, chiedete sempre prima a qualcuno che ne sa più di voi o possa aiutarvi a capirne di più…oppure fate una foto e chiedete a BVM e risparmiate tempo e fatica”.

Grazie Eugenio, sto già pensando di inviarti qualche foto per scoprire la storia di alcuni pezzi di famiglia!

Facebook: best_vintagemrkt_italy 
Instagram: best_vintagemrkt_italy
Email: bestvintagemrkt.it@gmail.com

Puoi ascoltare l’articolo anche su Spotify: sotto le foto troverai il podcast, buon ascolto!

English – How to understand the value of a vintage piece and know its history? Best Vintage Mrkt Italy helps you

A showcase of objects that take us on a journey through time, reading about their history and discovering their origins. Many curiosities that are finally satisfied, thanks to Eugenio Argento, founder of Best Vintage Mrkt Italy, to whom we ask to better explain how this digital case of vintage pieces works.

What is Best Vintage Mrkt Italy?

“Best Vintage Mrkt Italy (which I like to abbreviate with BVM) is mainly a bridge that communicates with the past; it allows people to discover the history, curiosities and monetary value of a vintage piece that has been found (or found again) in one’s own home or grandparents’. BVM is not the classic vintage market, but is a showcase of Italian vintage pieces that lives and is fed by its followers. They are the ones who give life to the page: through very simple steps, each of them can receive a free review on the vintage piece, thus helping them in the purchase (for those who, for example, are looking for that piece for passion or for collecting ), in the sale or simply to understand if what you have in your hands is something of value and authentic to exhibit in your own home (to make a good impression with friends and relatives)”.

Why was BVM born?

“BVM (and it is true) was born by chance, from the quarantine obligation for Coronavirus. Staying at home made me discover many vintage pieces at my parents’ house that I had never seen and that I never paid attention to. When I find a piece that belonged to my grandfather or my father (or even better handed down) I get excited and I am even more excited to know that what I have in my hand has a history and has a value (affective and, without being hypocritical, economic). The first thing I wonder when I find something vintage is: who knows if it’s authentic? Who knows what year it dates? Or: what value will it have and how can I find it out? BVM was born from here, I said to myself: ‘what about a page (or in the future an app) that would allow you to discover simply through a photo and some information to know all this and above all for free?!’

The goal is to create a window and a community of the Italian virtual vintage and (I am not ashamed to say it) maybe tomorrow (thinking big) it will also expand to other countries (maybe someone who will want to share this adventure with me) and also lead to something physical, for example a shop that can be a point of contact between the finder of the past and the collector”.

How did you decide to start this adventure?

“I decided to keep my brain busy on the weekends, out of boredom even from the usual office work and because I have always had a creative soul and I must say that the quarantine and the psychological trial period that we are experiencing has helped me get into play and try“.

How does it work?

“The steps to get a review of your vintage piece are very simple:
1. Follow the page on Instagram or Facebook;
2. Send (in direct on Instagram or privately on Facebook) a photo (or more) of the vintage piece to the BVM page. For Instagram, I usually ask those who contact me to engage slightly more in taking the photo, because I still care a lot about the aesthetic aspect of the page;
3. Write down all the information that is available and that cannot be identified from the photo (model, brand, year, working or not, etc.). The more details you give, the more accurate and reliable the review and value estimate can be;
4. Suggest a contact of a friend that I can tag in the review;
5. Get your review on the BVM page”.

Why did you choose vintage?

“Because I have always seen with another eye everything that does not belong to the era in which we live. This link with the past, perhaps out of nostalgia or taste, has always distinguished me (who knows me knows it). I have always found it ingenious and artistic to bring something back into fashion today that someone has never seen or forgotten. And then vintage can be unique and having something unique makes you special compared to others. Imagine that a friend of mine (whose name I don’t name) fell in love with a pair of vintage sunglasses that I found in my dad’s drawer and every year he makes me exorbitant offers to have them, but I don’t give up!

I like it because everything has a story, because someone else owned it before us and this also makes you fantasize. A typewriter, a tape recorder with an old tape inside, a pair of sunglasses, a camera, dad’s sheepskin jacket, a Polaroid camera give me thrill just to list them. Here, I like the feeling that arouses within us“.

The vintage piece you like best?

“This is not a simple question. Because in reality I never thought of something that I like more than the rest precisely because everything is beautiful for a different reason.
Personally, if I have to make you a list, first of all the sunglasses, then the working vintage cameras (Polaroid) and then record players and vinyls”.

How did you prepare to start BVM?

“If I can be honest, before I opened this page I was a simple amateur and passionate. I have always wandered around the vintage markets of the city in search of something rare, particular or just to watch. Thanks to BVM I am learning a lot and I also study a lot. Making a review takes time and above all requires precision (because the risk on the internet of falling into scam websites is really high). So when I receive an item I do a lot of research and comparisons and I start putting the pieces together, building gradually through the sources I find (a bit like when you write a thesis). You have to be patient and then thanks to the internet today we have everything at our fingertips, you just need to know how to search”.

Would you give us some advice to buy vintage?

“The advice is to check very carefully the wear of the piece (whatever it is), many times taken by the excitement of the moment you are attracted to something and buy it without seeing the details. Scams especially in vintage clothing are very easy and people can also sell very well; so look carefully at the details. As for objects, if you are not an expert and maybe you think you have found something rare or valuable, always ask someone who knows more than you or who can help you understand more… or take a picture and ask BVM and save time and effort ”.

Thanks Eugenio, I’m already thinking of sending you some photos to find out the story of few family pieces!

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