How To: Source Vintage Abroad
Planning, shopping, and getting it all home
Vintage is everywhere these days.
Every year seems to bring us more vintage stores, more vintage events, and bigger crowds. Plenty of people roll their eyes at the newbies and long lines and constant stream of pop-ups, but I’m not one of them. Sure, it’s technically “competition,” but the stats are pretty clear: there’s enough to go around. I approach vintage by avoiding a scarcity mindset, focusing instead on the ways in which we can collectively better the world by utilizing the things we already have. And actually tackling that requires an all-hands-on-deck approach!
Of course as a business owner in this space, the growth doesn’t come without pains. The market is more competitive than ever, and standing out isn’t just about going the extra mile - it’s almost a requirement. Especially here in New York, I’m seeing more dealers shifting to focus on vintage that goes beyond just nice clothes. There’s a growing interest in foreign vintage from both vendors and shoppers, and lots of my peers are setting off to seek their inventory from markets outside of America. Sounds pretty glamorous, right?
Last week, I took my very first international trip for the sole purpose of sourcing vintage inventory. I spent four days in Paris with a few other dealers running from market to market, buying what felt like every vintage fur hat in the city and polishing off croissants between stops. I’ll admit - it was glamorous! Well, kind of.
My red eye departure involved a medical emergency somewhere over Nova Scotia. Thankfully the unwell passenger seemed totally fine by the time we landed, but I spent my first day in Paris in the special kind of delirium only produced by replacing a full night’s sleep with a 45 minute nap in Row 24. Our original accommodations ended up being a disaster (fuck Airbnb forever and ever), so we were forced to pack up mid-trip and find last minute hotel rooms. Most of my weekend was spent with about 20 pounds of vintage hanging from each shoulder, and why wouldn’t it be sweltering hot in the hour long passport control line at CDG?
I’ve been lucky enough to travel a lot over the years, and my lifelong love for secondhand has meant I’ve scoured flea markets and thrift stores everywhere from Tokyo to Amsterdam. But shopping on vacation is very different from a serious sourcing trip. Lessons were learned, notes were compared, and now that I’m safely back home processing over 100 pounds of European vintage, I’m ready to share the ins and outs.
Before You Go…
Plan Ahead
Everything doesn’t need to scheduled down to the hour, but you’ll just waste limited time hunched over your phone if you don’t do the bulk of your research in advance.
Most flea markets are only open on specific days, and even the most seemingly set schedule can be affected by special events, construction, and inclement weather. You don’t want to plan your trip around a market that isn’t even open while you’re visiting! Your options may also be limited during certain times of year - small businesses in Japan are typically closed in the days before and after New Year’s, and many shops in parts of Europe close their doors for the entire month of August.
I like to start my planning by checking the opening hours for my priority destinations - usually a mix of markets, bakeries, restaurants, and museums. I strategize which stops are clustered together, and loosely map out my days based on the days and times the most places in each area are open.
It typically makes the most sense to start your days at flea markets, as they usually open hours before any brick and mortar shops. I personally don’t find a huge benefit in being the first in the booths (especially if you’re trying to haggle), so I never worry about rushing out for opening. My friend actually arrived to one of the Paris fleas exactly at the listed start time, and found that most vendors weren’t even set up yet.
Brush Up on the Local Industry
Give yourself a refresher on which companies are based in or made in the country you’re visiting, along with the specialties of local artisans and manufacturing. Every element of a garment that doesn’t require imports whittles down the price, and that accessibility often translates to better deals in the secondhand market.
Peru is famous for Alpaca knitwear, India is known for fine silk and embroidery, Spain and Portugal are full of factories producing top-quality shoes. Understanding the local market can help you score the best deals on the highest quality products.
