Sorry, Europe. Japan is ready to steal your crown. The new hotspot for vintage, the Land of the Rising Sun has been the home for vintage designer collectibles and archival streetwear. With the yen at its weakest, it was the perfect time for me book my flight to Japan. Even though the economic circumstances are less than favorable in Japan, I knew that it was time for me to score my next haul as it was my first buying trip.
Now that I'm back in Singapore with 40 kgs of new clothes and accessories, it's the biggest haul I have ever done!
Denim
The hottest seller among the categories, nothing beats a pair of classic true blues. Embellished or plain, denim gives you that freedom to wear it anywhere. Although low rise jeans have been gaining traction the past year, I have been selling them since the beginning of lockdown on Depop. While they still remain as a bestseller at my previous two pop ups at Crane Living and Hammock Market, I brought in an array of Y2K era Miss Sixty, Diesel and other Italian denim brands. Buckle up because those jeans are extra low, flared and have some Big Belt Energy!*
Contrary to what the critics say, high-waisted jeans are still alive and well. To all you millenials who love the Mom Jean, I found '80s and '90s Levi's that bear a similar silhouette to a 501. However, what makes 'em extra special is that those are mega rare archival styles - the 630 orange tab and 534 - are no longer in production! If you are extra curvy/wide-hipped, I brought in more sizes 28 to 30 for you!
*Three pairs of Y2K era low rise denim got sold out before I could even list them online!
Dresses
In the year of the Eras Tour, sparkly dresses became the norm since the beginning of March 2023. One year strong, sparkly dresses are never going out of style. Whether you're a Swiftie or not, you can make the whole place shimmer. Between a classic Hepburn-esque black beaded dress to a Blumarine-style pink sequinned dress, you can never go wrong with Y2K era sparkles.
Fun fact: most of these dresses are handmade and designed in Europe as either custom made orders or designer samples!
Accessories
An underrated accessory, socks and tights have been heavily overlooked in the season of bare legs. Be it fishnet leggings, bow printed tights or black frilly socks, you can set the vibe per pair. Not to mention, these are literally brand spanking new STILL fresh in the box after 20 to 30+ years of being unopened!
While I have yet to find a holy grail designer bag, I managed to score some mini designer purses/cases! Easy to throw inside your bag, a lipstick case or a pouch is ideal for sneaking in your daily touch ups in public. It’s a small bit of designer in your collection, but it’s a good start to building your vintage collection!