Michael Weschler for The New York Times
The New York Times recently ran this story about vintage mavens in Brooklyn. I get a bit nervous when something offbeat and cool starts being discussed by fashionistas or marketing firms. It could mean more interesting offering or something done to death and skyrocketing prices. The collections of the people interviewed are quite interesting and the reasoning behind this becoming a trend are intriguing. Part of the appeal being an interest in stepping out of the over hyped consumer culture and modernism for something more thoughtful and with a history. More anachronistic than sentimental.
I blame my interest in old things on my mom. She used to take me on antique store trips with her friends when I was young. Antique stores are much more interesting than museums when your nine. I continued scrounging for the old, odd and interesting as an adult and just never really stopped.
The NY Times article.
NY Times slideshow.
The whole steampumk fail was bad enough. All we need is a crowd of addle brained fashion whores copping our thing. Sooo tired of “the next big thing” causing a run on the field and both driving the aesthetic turfside and making treasures disapear or out of reach. I had a lot of fun collecting and using old razors til ebay and some “dry shaving” fad met in a dark alley somewhere.
This is a sad trend. For better than a decade now I’ve been inclined to keep my antiquing spots and favorite objects of obsession to myself. With the speed of cultural transmission and fashion trends in hyperdrive we’re better off that way.I know it’s about makig a quick buck and being entertained for another ten minutes but really? Couldn’t they just stick to trucker hats and skinny jeans a little while longer for the sake of the rest of us? Maybe explore the Solid Gold dancer look or rehash Buck Rogers again?
I know I’m being sour grapes about it but it’s really disheartening.