An ode to the beauty of second chances
2020 wasn't just a year of upheaval; it was a call for renewal. It was the peak of thrift/vintage stores all around the world, but for some, it was just the beginning. All the way from Milan to Pune, Shreya, a former nutritionist turned stylist and a full time curator of vintage clothes, shares her story with us.
How did your fashion journey begin?
“Initially I graduated as a nutritionist, but after a while, I realised that fashion was always my calling, and ended up moving to study fashion styling in Punr foe a year.
For 3.5 years, I worked on all sorts of styling projects; editorial styling, celebrity styling, pageant and personal styling. Later, I decided to study an intensive fashion design course in Milan where I ended up working as a designer for a kids wear brand''
I was speculating this whole thing about vintage clothing for a very long time but after the pandemic hit, it led me to finally finding the time and the space to focus my energy on it and that's how Gon started.
Could you describe what it's like working as a celebrity stylist ?
'It’s not as glamorous as it looks'
“In Mumbai, with celebrity styling, there were a lot of hindrances because I was working as assistants to different stylists in the beginning. You’re basically just running around as an errand person, and you don't have much say in anything.
You start losing your charm in the process. Because of this I moved back to Pune and started taking up some personal clients which made me embrace my personal style even more"
‘I feel like my sense of trend forecasting is very strong and that is what led me into styling’
We’ve grown up living in a world
where fast fashion is normalised. How did you shift from that narrative personally ?
“I have three older sisters, hence most of my wardrobe were hand me downs. This is why I'm so comfortable with the idea of second hand clothing and vintage. I don't care as long as the piece of clothing is washed and cleaned. Also over the years, I’ve realised how much potential India holds in the field of fashion. We have the best of the best printers, fabrics, so many skilled artisans. I feel like shopping local all the time''
‘India is such a growing market for everything in the world right now,it needs to bring its craft to the forefront’
While studying in Milan, Shreya sourced a bunch of vintage clothes. The abundance of vintage clothes led to a decision of starting with Gon as an online thrift store in Milan.
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A successful pop up event motivated her to continue curating for Gon and bringing it back to India with her.
Your curation is a visual treat. Can you share the process behind the curation of such unique and interesting pieces?
“It's a very personal process for me”
''Mostly, I end up buying the pieces that I would personally wear. So, that is my #1 filter. Secondly, forecasting is very important, so it could be something that picks up tomorrow in the fashion industry. These two factors help me curate even better. Also, I realised that India doesn't have much access to European vintage fashion. Over the two years that I’ve spent in Milan, I ended up building some really good connections with the collectors, locals I knew through my friends there. I would always be open about my interest in anything they were looking to sell or didn’t wear anymore. Then I would just buy it off of them, cut it up, make something totally new. Now, I have my collectors who keep me updated and send me stuff. But I'm really missing the whole process of going out and finding stuff myself”
What are some unique/valuable pieces you've successfully sold in the past?
I think a top few favourites of mine would be a pinstriped blazer from Italy, which I bought because of the quality. It was so basic but so well stitched and I ended up reworking it into a two piece set.
There was this one Canadian cotton Hawaiian shirt that I sold. It had the brightest colours, it was just amazing; the cut, the fit.
Another piece that I really liked, was a corset that I made from an old couch fabric that I found in Verona in 2019.
In your perspective, do you feel the core concept of thrifting has shifted away from it's sustainability roots due to the influx o market trends?
'I think, in terms of bringing clothes back into the cycle, we are still doing that' I feel people have understood the value of owning unique vintage pieces that come from at least two decades ago, that are of great quality. It is possible with vintage/thrift stores because everything is one-of- a-kind and collectible.
How feasible & sustainable is it to be a vintage store owner in this day and age?
“Honestly speaking, I think it is a great profession to be in, but if you want to make the ends meet comfortably, I think the process of curation will have to be on a much bigger scale. Personally, I would want to do it on a bigger scale but in India, accessibility can be hard sometimes. I feel like the whole reworking section is another thing which does great. It is another thing that can really add more value to this whole situation”
Do you foresee potential decline for vintage/thrift stores in the near future?
“That's a good one to think about, I haven't thought about it this far. I feel like at least for the next 10 years, we’re going to be good because Across the planet, everybody is sort of embracing the slow organic life; growing their own food, shopping local. I feel buying vintage is something that would be really big. In fact, it will grow even bigger once the whole reworking sector happens.” I feel like there's a very big shift in consciousness amongst people.
Gon, the brainchild of Shreya, started from curation of vintage pieces and is now headed towards reworking vintage pieces and if we’re lucky enough, a physical store!
You can find her vintage store on Instagram-Gon Vintage