2020 was a rather unusual year due to the health crisis, but even more so for the fashion world—and especially for thrift stores. MeetUnited Vintage, an online thrift store that you’ll love following after reading this article.
The History of United Vintage
United Vintageisa secondhand clothing store in Annecy that was born out of a collaboration between three longtime friends. The goal is to seek out unique, secondhand items and make them accessible to a wider audience. These days, thrift stores still carry a certain stigma, and many people are still hesitant to venture inside. The group of friends wanted to change that and shift people’s perceptions.
It all started the day after a party; the idea of starting a business quickly took shape, fueled by a desire to embark on a new, unconventional adventure full of challenges. Together, they decided to start their own company in pursuit of freedom, independence, and creativity.
“Julien: I moved to London a few years ago and noticed that there was a real craze for vintage fashion in England, especially for brands like Nike, Adidas, and Ralph Lauren. I knew that vintage fashion was starting to take off in France, and I thought we could do something with it.”
“My friends and I have always loved dressing as uniquely as possible by hunting for pieces at thrift stores, but it’s true that in Annecy—or even in the Lyon area—the scene isn’t very developed, and the thrift stores that are already there don’t have a very wide selection of quality items. Especially since most thrift stores in France don’t sell exclusively brand-name clothing and have a fairly limited selection of that kind of item.”
Despite having a limited professional network, but thanks to their strong motivation, the team embarked on this brand-new adventure. United Vintage is an online thrift store offering secondhand brand-name clothing. It proves that motivation and perseverance always pay off, despite the doubts we may have when we’re just starting out.
Making vintage clothing more visible in France. United Vintage is proud to present a diverse catalog featuring dozens of major brands, such as Nike, Ralph Lauren, The North Face, Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas, Burberry, Fila, and many more…
It was essential for the United Vintage team to breathe new life into the online store and improve the quality of their product offerings by providing more choices to their ever-growing customer base. Vintage: a way to stand out in fashion. Today, the lack of originality in the fashion world is a real burden. Their product selections are curated very carefully, one by one.
Three goals guide their work:
1. We select original yet unique products from leading brands, guaranteeing you assured and certified quality at prices that are always affordable.
2. To ensure your satisfaction, the website is updated daily, along with posts on Instagram so that our loyal followers are the first to know when exceptional pieces are posted online.
3. Beyond its eco-friendly aspect, buying secondhand clothing lets you personalize your look. Buying vintage means enjoying wearing a piece that bears traces of the past and has a unique story.
Not to mention that being a “thrift shopper” means having a keen interest in the history of fashion. Uncovering rare gems also means realizing just how many different cuts, fabrics, and styles there are.
“Benoit: We believe that vintage fashion will become increasingly popular in the coming years. Fashion is changing, and we’re confident that in a few years, major retailers will truly embrace vintage as the norm and the future.”
Instagram: A Springboard for the Success and Visibility of a Vintage Online Store
The vintage e-shop nowhasmore than 22,000 followers onInstagram, a rapidly growing account at the heart of the vintage community. More than just a visual platform, Instagram is a real springboard and a key factor in the success of an online thrift store these days.
Lately, there’s been an impressive boom in Instagram accounts dedicated to vintage fashion. But as many of them show, while finding vintage clothes is within everyone’s reach, finding beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces is a different story—one that not everyone can pull off.
Today, vintage is a major trend in the fashion world, but it’s also an increasingly important commitment to environmental sustainability. The fashion industry is turning more and more to vintage and secondhand clothing.
The customer base consists mainly of young people, but people of all ages can find something here. The online store attracts a diverse range of customers, from those with refined tastes to those looking for specific items, as well as curious visitors who stumble upon the website by pure chance.
In the very beginning, the team sold only on a few e-commerce platforms to earn some extra income, but as demand continued to grow, it became unmanageable. They then came up with the idea of creating a website to make it easier for customers to access new items.
Today, sales are no longer limited to France but also extend to Spain, Italy, Germany … where the vintage market is much less developed than in France, but the appeal is just as strong.
United Vintage's Future Projects
Thanks to the perseverance mentioned in this article, United Vintage has even held a few pop-up shop events in various locations (back when COVID hadn’t yet arrived). The experience gained over time is now gradually helping United Vintage establish itself as one of the leading pioneers of vintage fashion in France.
A wider selection of vintage clothing and brands will be available online soon, to better meet demand and continue to delight vintage fans.
Feel free to follow them on Instagram:@united.vintage
Blog link:http://www.lapausemodemagazine.com/2021/04/mode-united-vintage-la-friperie-en.html