Is vintage fashion really dead?

I can just see Isabelle, my colleague and 'Queen of the charity shops' screaming at her monitor as Ruby Warrington, writer for The Times bravely asks this week - is vintage over?

"The truth is that vintage has become a victim of its own success. These days, every other shop on Brick Lane in East London is stuffed with Identikit cowboy shirts and print dresses," she writes. That's true, to hunt down authentic vintage clothing these days often means you'll probably be paying through the nose for it. Warrington uses high-street stores such as Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Urban Outfitters as examples of jumping on the vintage bandwagon and therefore increasing demand and prices. "Bagging bargains used to be part of the fun, but now even the most mediocre vintage finds fetch silly money," she said.

Warrington claims that a scale-back of vintage stock among the high-street chains could be a reason why vintage is starting to phase out. "It's become so passé to say that something’s vintage,” one anonymous fashion PR told Warrington. Hmm.. I wonder why they wished to remain anonymous? But more importantly, if in fact vintage is passé what does this spell for celebs such as Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera (pictured left).

She also uses a change in high-end fashion with futuristic collections from Gareth Pugh and Nicolas Ghesquiãre as examples of what may be soon replacing vintage ranges on the high street. With the a new terms such as "archive" and "secondhand" set to replace the word "vintage". "All this hype about vintage really annoys me. It's not meant to be about fashion. It should be about genuinely being into old things and finding stuff that suits you that you really love," Bay Garnett, editor of Cheap Date magazine tells Warrington.

I must agree. Archive, vintage, secondhand - we seem to make such a big deal about labelling trends and analysing the how, why and when instead of simply embracing what's taking place. So you may be sick of seeing vintage everywhere? Then don't buy it. On the other hand if you happen to love something that is what the masses label as "vintage" or "vintage-inspired" then go for it!

Warrington finishes by saying: "in fashion’s inner circles, it has become a bit embarrassing to be into vintage. For now... it’s time to archive the vintage. After all, when Victoria Beckham starts shopping in Oxfam, you know this is one trend that has had its day."

While I may agree with her about Victoria Beckham, I have to disagree with her comment that being into vintage has become embarrassing - as I'm sure others will too. I, like many, continue to find enjoyment in vintage shopping and as the case may be in my field of work, writing about vintage fashion. I admire those who follow their passions and can use previous decades as inspiration for their wardrobe choices. People that pave their own way in style regardless of what the mainstream media tells them. So, if you're asking me what you should do with that vintage coat/dress/shoes, then my advice would be don't go throwing it out just yet...

Tell us what you think. Is vintage really over? You may leave your comment below or why not cast your vote in our weekly poll found on left of the homepage.

Louise

I work in a charity shop and I love a good bargain as much, if not more, than the next, but what people have to remember is that charity shops are not "charity for the customer" shops, they are raising money for their organisation. Also you need to bear in mind that it might seem as though charity shops have become more expensive but that this is in light of falling clothes prices at big chain stores, and we have all seen at what cost this clothing is really produced. We have just had a huge donation of clothing that could be termed vintage, retro, used or secondhand, it matters not what you call it or whether it's fashionable, what matters is that we get the best price for it in order that we respect and value the donor's generosity and the end recipient's need.

veronica

I liked vintage way before it became a fashion trend. The reason I liked it to start with was that the whole point of vintage is that it is vintage, and so therefore unique, different, and not following a trend. Therefore I don't care whether vintage is 'going out' - I didn't care when it became fashionable, and I think this will be the case with most others who liked vintage before the hype. Those who liked/like vintage for its own merits will continue to. Have no fear!

Sandra

Nadia,

I can understand why vintage has a bad connotation for you. The mass fashion industry had really over and mis used the term. Vintage, by collectors' definition, simply means 20 years or older and antique would be 100 years. There is some argument as to what the amount of years it takes to be considered vintage, but in all, second hand, at least amongst collectors of costume, means used but more recent clothing.

Sandra

kanai3

vintage will never really be 'out' especially for the discriminating shopper since modern clothing construction and materials get cheaper and more shoddy.

Vintage clothing in our antidote. But I agree with Kevie, and Eclair, because it's annoying to find your passion to be trendy for a month or so.

Nadia

I started wearing second-hand clothes (as they used to be called before the term "vintage") when I was a student in the late 80s. I used to go to jumble sales and charity shops and pick up fantastic items really cheap, because a) I wanted to look individual b) I didn't have a lot of money and c) my body type suited clothes from the 60s and 70s, ie. lean with a small bust and d) I was fascinated by fashion history. Most high street clothes in the 80s were truly hideous and unstylish (eg. acrylic batwing sweaters, jackets with big padded shoulders, baggy stonewashed tapered jeans etc.). So buying second-hand clothes was essential for me and part of the fun was getting lots of stuff really cheap and being able to experiment with my look. Then in the 90s the fashion press coined the term "vintage" (I use quote marks because I have never liked this term, it's pretentious and snobby) and it just started getting more and more expensive and difficult to find, as the fashion sheep blindly obeyed what they were told to do. Now the current situation is that second-hand clothing is overpriced -charity shops can often be more expensive than budget chains like Primark, and at the same time new clothes produced by the high street has improved drastically. Interestingly, in the last 5 years or so, most new fashion has been directly influenced by "vintage" clothing. The "vintage" departments of shops like Topshop and Urban Outfitters are completely overpriced - I would never consider paying £50 for a cotton print dress from the 60s for example, when I used to be able to pick up a similar dress for 50p at a jumble sale in the 80s. In general, the problem is worst in London - just take a trip down Brick Lane, Camden or Portobello Markets and gasp at the prices being charged). However, for me, it's taking away half the pleasure of wearing second-hand clothes - saving money, being original and being able to experiment. You have to be pretty certain about something before shelling out £50 or whatever for it. So the sooner the likes of the Times fashion correspondent start to decree that "vintage is over" the better it is for the likes of me, who have always bought second-hand and always will do.

Is vintage fashion really dead?

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