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It’s Vintage Darling! An exploration of vintagefashion retailing

Julie McColl , Catherine Canning , Louise McBride , Karina Nobbs & LindaShearer

To cite this article: Julie McColl , Catherine Canning , Louise McBride , Karina Nobbs & LindaShearer (2013) It’s Vintage Darling! An exploration of vintage fashion retailing, The Journal ofThe Textile Institute, 104:2, 140-150, DOI: 10.1080/00405000.2012.702882

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00405000.2012.702882

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It’s Vintage Darling! An exploration of vintage fashion retailing

Julie McColl*, Catherine Canning, Louise McBride, Karina Nobbs and Linda Shearer

Department of Fashion, Marketing and Retailing, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK

(Received 18 April 2011; final version received 11 June 2012)

Purpose: This is an exploratory study which defines vintage fashion, considers the vintage fashion consumer andevaluates the positioning of the vintage retail store from the perspective of the store proprietor/manager. Design/methodological approach: The research involved 15 in-depth interviews with vintage fashion retailers. Findings: Itis proposed that vintage fashion retailers position and differentiate themselves by their uniqueness; a competitiveadvantage gained through the knowledge and skills of the owner/manager. Research limitations/implications: Thisis an exploratory study and as such it is limited to the experiences of 15 vintage fashion retailers. It is, however,part of a larger empirical study. Practical implications: The results of this study provide the basis for futureresearch development in terms of the vintage consumer and consumer behaviour. Originality/value: The develop-ment of the vintage concept reveals a paucity of theoretical and empirical research studies. This exploratoryresearch seeks to address this scarcity.

Keywords: vintage fashion; vintage consumer; retail positioning

Introduction

One of the most enduring trends of the past decadehas been the increasing consumer demand for vintagefashion clothing (Beard, 2008). McMeekin (2007) andWilson and Thorpe (2000) have identified that vintagefashion has become a multimillion pound industry.Traditionally, second-hand clothing was associatedwith students or low-income groups who were unableto afford higher-priced mainstream fashion; however,recently vintage clothing has enjoyed something of arevival and image makeover (Beard, 2008; Palmer,2005). The reasons for the rise of the vintage trendare difficult to define, however, Tolkien (2002) hasproposed that second-hand clothing stores and marketshave developed to become a desirable source for fash-ion purchasing. This may be the result of increasingsocietal acceptance of an aesthetic shift, with vintagefashion being intended as a means of self-expressionand differentiation (DeLong, Heinemann, & Reiley,2005; Palmer & Clark, 2005; Tungate, 2008).

The growth of second-hand clothing can be partlyattributed to the revival of fashion trends from the1960s, 1970s and more recently, the 1980s (Dyer,2006), and a trickling down from the influence of var-ious celebrities (Odulate, 2008; Palmer & Clark,2005). Additionally, there has been a mounting con-sciousness by consumers of unethical practices in the

fashion industry (Brace-Govan & Binay, 2010; Jack-son & Shaw, 2008; Mintel, 2009a), coupled with aconsumer backlash against disposable fashion and agrowing distrust of global brands (Keynote, 2009;Tungate, 2008). The move of vintage from niche sub-culture to mainstream may be evidenced by theincreased vintage offerings by high street, luxury andonline retailers and by the plethora of guides onselecting and assembling vintage clothing (Mintel,2008, 2009b; Palmer & Clark, 2005; Tungate, 2008;Woodward, 2009). This apparent increase in vintageofferings has broadened the opportunities for the con-sumption of vintage clothing.

The term vintage is multi-faceted and leads topotential confusion over authenticity in the marketplace (DeLong et al., 2005; Palmer & Clark, 2005).As such, there is a paucity of literature which clearlydefines the parameters, characteristics and positioningof the vintage fashion retailer. The literature address-ing the retail positioning strategy is well established(Cook & Walters, 1991; Gilbert, 2003; Helman & deChernatony, 1999; Levy & Weitz, 2004; McGoldrick,2002; Newman & Patel, 2004; Omar, 1999; Walters,1988; Walters & Hanrahan, 2000; Walters & White,1987), however, published research regarding vintagefashion retailing, is rare, and the current market devel-opments and implications of these for vintage fashion

*Corresponding author. Email: j.mccoll2@gcal.ac.uk

The Journal of The Textile Institute, 2013Vol. 104, No. 2, 140–150, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00405000.2012.702882

Copyright � 2013 The Textile Institute

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retailers have not been addressed. This is an explor-atory study which aims to define the concept of vin-tage fashion and the vintage fashion consumer. Itconsiders the positioning strategies of vintage fashionretailers, explores how they differentiate themselves inthe face of increased competition and examines theimplications of the vintage trend for traditional vintageretailers.

Literature review

Definition of vintage

Defining vintage clothing terminology is problematicdue in part to the lack of consensus regarding the partic-ular time periods of “vintage”, “antique” and “retro”but also due to the variations concerning the constitu-ents of such clothing items. According to DeLong,Heinemann, and Reiley (2005, p. 23) “in clothing, vin-tage usually involves the recognition of a special typeor model, and knowing and appreciating such specificsas year or period when produced or worn”. Further-more, they suggest that vintage clothing is concernedwith a specific time period or setting and is distin-guished from “antique, historical, consignment, re-usedor second-hand”. Palmer and Clark (2005, p. 175),define the term more broadly proposing that it is “usedto cover a huge spectrum of clothes that are not newlydesigned”. Tungate (2008, p. 221) offers a morefocused definition which highlights the evolution andcomplexity of the term, identifying that “any one partic-ular item may change through time and usage by thefashion media, so that second hand becomes known asretro then in turn as vintage”. The upsurge in main-stream availability of vintage and the increased onlineprovision of vintage clothing has further confused therange of vintage definitions (Palmer & Clark, 2005).From the consumer perspective, Tungate (2008) recog-nises that vintage is an intangible concept more associ-ated with attitude than style of dress. Similarly, Palmer(2005) characterises vintage fashion as a symbol ofindividuality and originality. A primary aim of thisresearch is to define vintage from the perspective of thevintage fashion retailer.

Characteristics of the vintage consumer

Historically, the purchase of second-hand clothing hasattracted negative connotations as a mark of poverty(Horne & Broadbridge, 1995; Veblen, 1899). Tseëlon(1992) identified that this threatened social judgementhas been ignored by the vintage consumer in theirpursuit of non-conformity to fashion trends. Silverman(1986) previously identified a growing market forvintage goods amongst middle class and youth popu-lations. Crewe and Forster (1998) concur with this

description, adding that this group purchase vintagefor fun, sociality and display purposes. Hansen (2000)segments the vintage consumers into young profes-sionals who want high-quality clothes at modestprices, or young people keen on retro subculture lookslike punk, rave or mod styles. Additionally Wood-ward’s (2009) study explored young people’s love ofvintage clothing and identified that the motivation topurchase was differentiation. Furthermore, a significantconsumer group has been identified as taste makers:stylists, designers and image makers who use it as asource of inspiration and as a reference point (Coul-son, 2003; Finnigan, 2006; Malem, 2008). The posses-sion, or the wearing, of second-hand items along withhigh street ones, has become a key marker of fashion-ability, with the emphasis falling upon how the itemsare sourced, and not just on the look (Woodward,2009). The uptake of mass market vintage has poten-tially diluted the authentic appeal of vintage amongst“fashion” orientated consumers, i.e. those more inter-ested in aesthetics and individuality, than having areverential concern with the historic and symbolicassociations of these sometimes rare pieces which thevintage connoisseur and retail experts so value (Cata-lani & Chung, 2006; DeLong et al., 2005).

History and key drivers

The mainstream trend towards wearing vintage cloth-ing emerged in the 1980s (McRobbie, 1988). Tolkien(2002) identifies vintage as emanating from the NewYork social fashion elite who were influenced by nos-talgic images of 1940s couture, then celebrities fuelledthe demand and increased popularity of the trend bywearing luxury vintage gowns to major award ceremo-nies and fashion shows. Others credit Barbra Streisandas the first vintage-couture advocate (Milbank, 1989).This influenced designers such as Marc Jacobs who inthe 1990s created the “nouveau vintage” look by rec-reating old styles (Mintel, 2005). This trend alsobecame evident in the UK and Europe with designersand celebrities such as Stella McCartney and KateMoss inspiring mainstream adoption of vintage fash-ion (Kismiric & Raspini, 2004; Phillip, 2005). Thisaesthetic shift in the 1990s removed the stigmaattached to wearing second-hand items, and allowedthem to become acceptable sources of fashion, leadingto a differentiation between vintage and used clothing(Beard, 2008; Gregson, Brooks, & Crewe, 2001; Pal-mer, 2005; Tolkien, 2002). The media have promotedvintage fashion as a means of conveying connoisseur-ship and individuality, and this has recently been fur-ther extended by the juxtaposition of vintage andcontemporary items within an outfit (Palmer, 2005;Tungate, 2008).

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Jackson and Shaw (2008) have highlighted that akey driver in the vintage trend is the media focus onunethical practices in the fashion industry. This hascreated a consumer backlash against disposable fash-ion and started the “slow fashion” movement, with anemphasis on quality over quantity (Fletcher, 2007).Another driver identified by Tungate (2008) is con-sumer defiance of high priced, marketing led, brandedproducts and trends. More recently, the recession hasseen “upcycled” fashion garments become a main-stream phenomenon; this is the re-working of oldclothes into more contemporary, higher value items(Carter, 2010; Gunn, 2009). The influential “retailguru”, author and broadcaster Mary Portas, success-fully developed a media campaign in 2009 called“Living and Giving” which improved the image ofcharity shops and further increased demand in vintageclothing (Cavandish, 2009). However, a recent studyof street style by Woodward (2009) has indicated thatthe trend for vintage has matured and may now beperceived as ordinary or ubiquitous.

For the retailer and consumer alike, the uptake ofthe vintage trend in the “noughties” has resulted in areduction in the availability of quality stock, and thishas affected the market in two ways. Firstly, it meansthat certain items have increased in value and vintagefashion has become an investment opportunity whichrivals the collection of art (Brannon, 2010; Cassy,2009; Sherwood, 2004). Agins (2000) identifies this isas a result of the widely broadcast opinion that thecouture industry is in decline, with prices escalatingand skilled workmanship growing rarer. Secondly, itmeans that traditional vintage consumers are beingforced to search extensively and even globally tosource the desired article (Wiseman, 2009).

In sum, there are three key drivers of the vintagefashion trend; the first is the trickle down aspect fromcelebrities and designers, the second is the ethicaldimension and the last is the desire for individuality/authenticity. Indeed, Palmer (2005, p. 197) concludes“vintage has now shifted from subculture to mass cul-ture because of the disappointing fact that, regardlessof price, fashion today is rarely exclusive”.

Market structure and vintage retail formats

Mhango and Niehm (2005) propose that vintage cloth-ing retailers are concentrated within the small businesssector, and are typically and independently owned.These include second-hand settings such as thrift orcharity shops, estate sales, garage sales, flea marketsand auctions, usually the domain of commercially medi-ated lateral recycling (Bardhi & Arnould, 2005; Crewe,Gregson, & Brooks, 2003). Nonetheless, vintage cloth-ing retailers have now evolved to encompass complex

retail support functions such as sourcing, supply chainmanagement and visual merchandising (Peterson & Bal-asubramanian, 2002). Furthermore, a number of charitystores in the UK have rebranded themselves as “vin-tage” to increase their perceived brand value and to dif-ferentiate themselves from others in the sector (Mintel,2009a). Mainstream high-street stores such as Topshopand Urban Outfitters have stocked successful vintageclothing ranges for over five years (Mintel, 2009b).Tolkien (2002) identifies the internet as an importantchannel in the distribution of vintage clothing, however,this phenomenon requires a different research approachand will be addressed in future studies.

Retail positioning

Porter’s (1980, 1985) positioning theory has remainedan enduring influence on marketing literature (Aaker &Shansby, 1982; Arnott, 1992; Blankson & Kalafatis,2004; Hooley, Greenly, Fahy, & Cadogan, 2001; Hoo-ley & Saunders, 1993; Kotler & Keller, 2006; Park,Jaworski, & MacInnis, 1986), and practice (Dovel,1990; Reis & Trout, 1982), as one of the key conceptsof core marketing theory (Blankson & Kalafatis, 2004;Hooley et al., 2001) fundamental to the success of afirm’s marketing strategies (Devlin, Ennew, & Mirza,1995). The positioning strategy adopted by companiesis based upon the needs of customers, the actions ofcompetitors, and is the means by which the companycan obtain competitive advantage (Arnott, 1994;Brooksbank, 1994; Dibb, 1998; Doyle, 1994; Kalafa-tis, Tsogas, & Blankson, 2000). It is generally acceptedthat although a number of positioning typologies havebeen developed within the marketing planning context(Aaker & Shansby, 1982; Hooley, Broderick, & Möl-ler, 1998; Wind, 1982), there is a paucity of empiricalresearch which has tested these typologies (Arnott,1992; Blankson & Kalafatis, 2004). Indeed, Yip(1997) proposes that a number of the positioningapproaches, which are proposed within the literature,are incomplete and therefore can be confusing. Table 1offers a summary of positioning typologies. The con-structs of these positioning typologies are consideredby the authors as the most important means by whichthe company can achieve differentiation, gain competi-tive advantage and therefore position themselveswithin the market (Blankson & Kalafatis, 2004).

Although thorough in conceptual terms, Blanksonand Kalafatis (2004) consider the existing studies to bevery descriptive, difficult to operationalise and basedon limited empirical testing, particularly in terms oftheir representation within consumer markets, their ten-dency being to represent the views of management.They contend that the literature lacks an empiricallybased consumer/customer derived typology, which can

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measure the effectiveness of positioning strategiesemployed. Based upon extensive empirical research,they propose a positioning typology based on consumerperceptions, which they suggest is suited to both prod-uct and service markets and suggest that managersdevelop their positioning based upon potential con-sumer perceptions of prestige, service, reliability,attractiveness, country of origin and brand name. Theseelements, they propose, are the main differentiating fea-tures within the market and can be effectivelyemployed in marketing communication.

Within the retailing literature, Cook and Walters(1991) propose that a company’s market position is itsresponse to its understanding of the needs, desires andbehavioural characteristics of its target customer profile.Retail positioning is defined by Wortzel (1987, p. 47)who proposes:

For a retailer, strategic positioning involves providingunique value. Strategic positioning involves selectingand then bringing to bear an integrated set of toolsand communication techniques that identify andexplain the store to the customer.

Walters (1988) proposes a model of positioningwhich was developed as a result of extensive empiri-cal research within the retail industry. The fourelements of the positioning strategy in retailing, he

proposes, are a visible response to the needs andwants of the identified target market. The primarydecision areas for retailers in developing their market-ing strategy therefore are those of trading format, mer-chandise strategy, customer service and customercommunications strategy. These decision areas definethe retailer positioning strategy, and position the retai-ler in terms of customer expectations and satisfaction,creating a point of differentiation which separatesretailers from the competition and portrays the retailbrand (Bridson & Evans, 2004; Newman & Patel,2004).

Although developed as a theoretical model, thestrategic elements of Walters’ (1988) value-addedpositioning statement are still acknowledged in theretail marketing literature as the method by whichretailers should position themselves within the market(Cook & Walters, 1991; Gilbert, 2003; Helman & deChernatony, 1999; Levy & Weitz, 2004; McGoldrick,2002; Newman & Patel, 2004; Omar, 1999; Walters,1988; Walters & Hanrahan, 2000; Walters & White,1987). Consequently, it forms the basis of a numberof empirical studies on retailer brand positioning (Birt-wistle, Clarke, & Freathy, 1999; Conant, Smart, &Solano-Mendez, 1993; Corstjens & Doyle, 1989;Davies, 1992; Ellis & Kelly, 1992; Helman & deChernatony, 1999; Knee & Walters, 1989; Morschett,

Table 1. Summary of positioning typologies.

Author Positioning constructs, i.e. concepts

Buskirk (1975) Features, price, advertising, distributionBrown and Sims (1976) Problem solved, usage situation, users, competitorsBerry (1982) Value, time efficiency, high contact, sensoryWind (1982) Product features, benefits, problem solutions or need, usage occasions, user, against

another product, product class dissociationAaker and Shansby(1982)

Attributes, price, quality, use or application, product/service user, product/serviceclass, competition

Crawford (1985) Features, benefits: direct/indirect, surrogates: nonpareil, parentage (brand, company,person), manufacture, target, rank, endorsements, experience, predecessor, competitor

Reis and Trout (1982) Market leader, follower, reposition the competition, use the name, line extension(use of house name)

Easingwood and Mahajan(1989)

Reputation/capabilities of organisation: expertise, reliability, innovativeness,performance, augmentation of product offering: product augmentation, extra service,people advantage, more attractive package offering, a superior product throughtechnology, accessibility, extra attention given to individual requirements through customisation,satisfaction of more user needs within the sector through offering a complete product line

Arnott (1992, 1994) Empathy, solvency, promotions, administrative time, helpfulness, reliability, attentiveness, staffcompetence, flexible products, access to people, reputation, customisation, incentives, socialawareness, security, technology

Hooley et al. (1998) Low price-high price, premium quality-basic quality, innovation-imitation, superiorservice-limitedservice, differentiated benefits-undifferentiated features, tailored offering-standard offering

Kalafatis et al. (2000) Pricing, easy to do business, personal contact, product performance, range of offerings,presence, safety, leadership, distinct identity, status, country identity, differentiation,attractiveness

Source: Blankson and Kalafatis (2004).

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Swoboda, & Schramm-Klein, 2006; Newman & Patel,2004; Warnaby, 1993; Wortzel, 1987), which stressthe potential benefits of developing a clear and distinctpositioning statement using the elements of the retail-ing mix. It is therefore considered to be the most suit-able framework for application within this study. It isgenerally accepted, however, that although a numberof positioning typologies have been developed withinthe marketing and retailing planning context (Aaker &Shansby, 1982; Hooley et al., 1998; Wind, 1982),there is still a lack of empirical research which hastested these typologies (Arnott, 1992; Blankson &Kalafatis, 2004). The literature contends that smallretailers, such as those addressed within this study,differ from larger organisations in terms of manage-ment systems and resources, and that planning, controland strategy are driven directly by the personal objec-tives and personality of the owner manager (Hutchin-son & Quinn, 2011; McAuley, 2001; Shuman &Seeger, 1986). However, within the vintage retail sec-tor, this proposition has not been tested. This paperserves to help address this issue.

Methodology

The vintage retailing literature, is based upon researchcarried out within small companies (Bardhi &Arnould, 2005; Mhango & Niehm, 2005). The deci-sion to focus on small scale companies is also sup-ported by evidence provided in trade reports (Mintel,2008, 2009a), that small companies are dominantwithin the vintage retail sector and generally evolvefrom the action of the vintage enthusiast. The compa-nies therefore, were all independently owned small-scale retail outlets (Mhango & Niehm, 2005). Theyalso had to have been in business for at least twoyears to ensure high levels of experience in both buy-ing and merchandising. The participants therefore, hadbetween two and 23 years experience of running avintage retailing company. Participants were requiredto trade as bricks and mortar companies to ensure con-sistency of trading practices. Given these characteris-tics, it was felt that the potential participants wouldprovide credible information as to the concept, posi-tioning and differentiation of small vintage fashionretailers. No database of vintage fashion retailers wasavailable therefore, 39 vintage fashion retailers fromScottish towns and cities were identified from the Yel-low Pages, trade journals and company websites. Ofthese, 27 were found to have been in business forover two years; however, one was found to sell onlyon an online basis. The owner managers were agedbetween 23 and 58 and were therefore not from oneage cohort. A letter was sent to these 26 vintage fash-ion retailers from the population sample of 39 in

September 2009. A follow-up phone call was made aweek later. Retailers (16) responded that they werewilling to participate in the study; however, onepotential participant remained unavailable. Theremaining nine did not respond. The interviews werecarried out with owner/managers of vintage retailstores who, it was ensured, had direct experience inthe areas of buying and merchandising within the vin-tage retail sector.

The interviews were approximately two hours longand took place within the retail premises. All intervie-wees requested confidentiality. The interviews weretaped, transcribed and retained on Microsoft Word.Analysis was carried out by only one member of theresearch team to ensure consistency. The transcriptswere analysed on a preliminary basis in order to iden-tify common characteristics and emerging themes andissues. At this stage, a framework for theoreticaldevelopment began to emerge and a “cluster”approach was adopted (Guba & Lincoln, 1994). Theseclusters were selected on the basis of significance,mutual exclusivity and ability to stand by themselves(Yin, 2003). Yin (2003) proposes that data analysisconsists of examining, categorising, tabulating andtesting the evidence to address the initial propositionsof the study. The analysis of the interviews was car-ried out on an individual basis and then on a cross-interview analysis. As proposed by Patton (2002), theanalysis involves the application of the existing theo-retical framework, developed from the literature, andthe subsequent analysis of the interviews to allow foran examination of emerging patterns.

The interviewees were asked open-ended questionsabout their definition of the vintage, the vintage cus-tomer, and the positioning of the vintage store, accord-ing to the theories and concepts developed from theliterature. The results and discussion section is there-fore divided into three sections. Firstly, the researchseeks to define what constitutes vintage fashion andcharacterises the vintage fashion movement, secondly,the research examines the vintage fashion consumerfrom the perspective of the store owner/managers, andfinally it explores the positioning in relation to theretail vintage fashion sector.

Results

Defining vintage fashion

When defining the term vintage fashion, three dimen-sions are apparent. Firstly, the age of the clothing, sec-ondly the style, that is a piece of clothing which sumsup the era, and finally it is about the quality of the vin-tage clothing. There was no unified or clear definitionof vintage with each vintage retailer offering differingopinions and suggestions. For example, to a number of

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participants “vintage” could be categorised as anythinguntil the 1950s, with anything that predates 1980 beingclassified as “retro”, and anything before the 1920sbeing considered as “antique”. However, the majoritystated that fashion which predates the 1990s would beconsidered to be vintage, particularly, at this currenttime, garments from the 1980s, a period which hasexperienced a recent revival in fashion trends. One quo-tation summed up the general opinion:

Probably not the 1990s but anything before that,especially the 1980s at the moment. Only the fashionforward are looking for 1990’s articles.

Participants proposed that items of clothing whichrepresented the zeitgeist of a specific era were particu-larly valued by vintage consumers. For example,1950s prom dresses with Dior’s “New Look” fullskirt, Twiggy’s 1960s mini dress, 1970s platformshoes and flared trousers and 1980s pedal pushers andfrilled shirts from the New Romantic movement.

Almost all the retailers agreed that vintage fashionwas second hand, however, a small number sold oldclothing manufactured in the past which had neverbeen worn. One retailer was selling unworn “Brutus”and “Lee” denim jeans from the 1970s which hadbeen discovered in a warehouse. The most desirablepieces were those which had been bought in a pastera but had rarely or never been worn, for example,items which have been kept for special occasions likean evening dress, a wedding dress or a formal suit.All participants agreed that, in order to be in demand,articles have to be of good quality. One participantsummed up the general opinion stating:

Vintage fashion isn’t something that is just old. If a‘50’s dress is an ugly hideous rag - that is what it is,an ugly hideous rag. Vintage is the very, very best ofits type.

Characterising the vintage consumer

Participants were asked to define the vintage consumerfrom their own perspective. Many of their customerswere students and what they called fashion consciousyoung consumers, with an average age of between 18and 25, however, all participants discussed the verydiverse age of their total customer base. The 18–25 year-old consumer group they proposed, is mostlikely to be influenced by fashion trends, and it wasrecognised that the adoption of the vintage trend bythis particular segment had fuelled the increaseddemand for vintage clothing. This segment of the mar-ket was seen to be setting the trend for current trickleup fashion looks such as “granny fashion”, the “nerdlook”, and “geek chic”. Participants proposed that

these trends had also reached celebrities and werelinked to sub-culture music trends. Young consumerswere seen to purchase for fun, originality, display andin many cases price. Participants, however, stressedtheir ability to offer uniqueness which people see as amethod of individual self-expression. One proposed:

You always feel quite smug when you say “Oh itsVintage” there’s no way the person can go out andcopy you.

The next most important consumer group identifiedwas older customers (aged 30–70) who tended to pur-chase on price and nostalgia rather than trend. Thissegment was likely to have a higher involvement i.e.they invest more time, money and effort on their pur-chase and are generally more concerned about theauthenticity of the product. For example, a number ofparticipants discussed the importance to the customerof the story behind the garment; what one termed as“vintage magic”. Consumers were buying “more thana dress”, they were buying a piece of history, andoften enjoyed hearing a story behind an item or “atreasure”. Additionally, participants highlighted anincrease in the number of ethical consumers, con-scious of environmental issues and recycling. Again,this customer group was diverse in age and nature.Finally, a small proportion of customers were collec-tors and business customers, for example, television,film and theatre wardrobe designers and stylists forfashion magazines.

Positioning of the vintage retailer

Merchandising strategy

Participants highlighted their concern over the authen-ticity of vintage fashion. Most considered vintagefashion to be authentic just by its level of originalityand in particular they sought garments which had beenhandmade and were therefore exclusive. Exclusivity isof particular importance as it allows premium pricingand provides differentiation for the store. Fashionbrands such as Chanel, Biba and Ossie Clark arebecoming rare and difficult to source, and are highlysought after. Participants stated that those productsthat are mass produced are less likely to be perceivedas authentic and are therefore less desirable. One retai-ler stated:

Authentic vintage is an original garment and not avintage label from a high street store. They are obvi-ously complete one-offs and that in my mind is wortha lot more than some dress that’s been churned outby Marks and Spencer. Back in the ‘40s, ‘50s and‘60s people were making their own clothes, which arehighly desirable now.

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Participants proposed that they were able to deter-mine an authentic garment through their personalexpertise, gained through several years of sourcing andbuying. Interestingly, many retailers considered them-selves to have expert technical knowledge, for examplebeing able to judge a garment by the stitching (i.e. handsewn rather than machine produced), the fabric quality,and the smell. Because of the increasing difficulty insourcing good quality vintage items, some retailers haddecided to sell items manufactured more recently butwhich had an appropriate vintage design. They wereaware that the authenticity of these garments was ques-tionable, however, they agreed that there is a marketfor this type of “pseudo-vintage” product.

Merchandise was procured from a variety of sec-ond-hand sources such as market stalls, both at homeand abroad, charity and second-hand clothing stores,car boot sales, recycling plants or “rag yards”, andfrom customers by way of donations. In fact, vintageretailers will recycle clothing back to recycling plants ifthey are unable to sell the garments. Merchandise wasboth handpicked and bought in bulk particularly whensourcing from recycling plants. Occasionally, retailerswere able to source more exclusive merchandise frompersonal contacts, for example, a number of partici-pants had been approached by private individuals whowished to know that their vintage clothing would beenjoyed by enthusiasts or vintage collectors. A particu-larly interesting and more recent emerging market waseastern Europe which offers opportunities for trade andsourcing of vintage clothing, perhaps, more unusualthan what is available in the UK market. Participantsalso highlighted France and the USA as fruitfulsources. One stated that the USA was particularly goodfor 1920s dresses, however, she did not know why thisshould be the case. One participant observed:

I am sure there is a totally untapped market in Russia.I would like to visit there and raid some wardrobes.Russia is so large and many people don’t know thevalue of vintage garments yet.

Participants selected the merchandise according totheir personal expertise of the market and their histori-cal knowledge of fashion. Sourcing of merchandisewas a very personal issue, they bought according to“gut feel” and intuition. This was highlighted by allparticipants as their key point of differentiation andcompetitive advantage. In many cases they proposedthat a synergy existed between themselves and theircustomer in relation to style, therefore, they under-stood their regular customers’ needs and wants andwere able to buy accordingly.

Participants were asked to highlight the mostsought after items. The most popular brands were

Biba, Bus Stop, Mary Quant, Burberry and designerlabels such as Dior and Chanel. During the summer,female consumers were looking for summer dresses,1950s style dirndl skirts, mini skirts and morerecently in line with changing fashion trends, maxidresses. During the winter, the demand was forheavy outerwear, hats, gloves and scarves. Interest-ingly, as a result of catwalk trends, there is stilldemand for real fur coats. Participants explained thatconsumers believed that the wearing of old, second-hand fur coats was acceptable because these itemswere manufactured prior to increased ethical aware-ness of animal rights issues. Glamorous dresses fromany vintage era were always in demand and atChristmas, customers were looking for appropriateparty wear. A table of the most popular items is out-lined in Table 2. Selection of these items was basedon more than half of the sample highlighting theseproduct categories.

Participants highlighted that one of the key chal-lenges was the procurement of appropriate, second-hand stock which is in good condition. Due to thepopularity of the trend, there is an increasing scarcityof stock which is an enduring problem which hasheightened competition in the vintage sector.

All the vintage retailers prepared garments beforethey were sold by washing or dry cleaning items.Some items required repairs such as zips, sewing onbuttons and altering hem lines, however, normallyalterations were minimal so that the authenticity of thegarments was not compromised. However, in somecases, participants created new garments by combiningtwo pieces together. One participant proposed:

Table 2. Most popular vintage items.

Ladies Men

1950s prom dresses1960s shift dresses,1970s maxi dressesEvening wear – glamorousgowns, sequined andembroidered dressesReal and fake fur coats andjacketsCashmere jumpers andcardigansJewellery and watchesHandbags, scarves and beltsHigh heels and flat boots forladies from the 1960s,1970s and 1980s

Formal wearEvening suitsSuits from the 1950sand 1960sTraditional dress (Kilts)Retro Adidas tracksuittops from the 1970sLevis jeans and denimjacketsCowboy bootsMilitary dressLeather briefcasesTies

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We buy dresses that are full length and we cut themto mini dresses. We actually have a tailor next doorwho does all that for us. We have bought blazers andput accessories on them to make them look moreinteresting.

Customer service

Participants proposed that personal service was veryimportant to the success of their business. Mostemployees were owner/managers, assisted by partners,friends or family members who had a vested interestin the success of the business. All stated that theyknow a high proportion of their customers very well,will match a garment to a customer and will considerindividual customer tastes and needs when sourcinggarments. Some participants would store items in thestock room for particular customers. In addition, cus-tomers could personally request the sourcing of spe-cific items. The basis of much of the customer servicefor vintage retailers was the building of relationships.Additionally, all had a loyal and regular customer baseand the nurturing of these relationships allowed retail-ers to offer a personalised service. A number of retail-ers offered an alteration service for their customers.The participants felt that this level of customer serviceallowed them to further differentiate themselves fromtheir competitors. Most proposed that they themselveswere the differentiation through their choice of mer-chandise, their expert knowledge and their passion forthe vintage concept. One participant stated:

It’s me. The company is built around my personality,personal style and taste. My customers like that andthey trust my judgement.

Communications

The most important methods of communication werestore image, that is, the window display and the storeinterior. The window display creates interest, curiosityand desire and the originality of the store interior andthe merchandise communicated a unique brand image.In terms of advertising, most participants said thatthey did not use print advertising often. This wasexpensive and had, in the past, gained them limitedsuccess. A few advertised in the Yellow Pages andlocal directories, however, one participant complainedthat due to a lack of understanding of the vintage con-cept, her store had been classified as a second-handclothes store rather than being given a vintage classifi-cation. She had therefore withdrawn from the YellowPages feeling that her brand proposition was notappropriately communicated. Local press editorial hadproved for many to be effective in raising the businessprofile and increasing awareness. However, this relies

on the owner having personal media contacts and tak-ing an active approach to publicity. As a result of thehigh levels of personal service outlined above, posi-tive customer experiences were thought to be essentialto word of mouth (WoM) marketing. This type ofcommunication was reported to be very important forpromotion and generating custom.

The group was divided in relation to e-marketing.Around half of the participants did not operate a web-site, whilst the other half of the sample relied heavilyon it for promotional purposes. However, a number ofparticipants interacted with social media platforms (atdiffering levels) in order to engage with the vintagefashion community, raise brand awareness and gener-ate enquires and footfall in store.

Trading format

The key features of the vintage fashion trading formatwere that all the participants in the study were small-scale retailers who were independently owned. Mostoperated out of a single unit which was typically 700–1100 ft2 in size and was located in secondary geo-graphical locations with a “neighbourhood feel”. Themajority of the retailers included in this researchdescribed themselves as traditional “bricks and mor-tar” boutique style shops. Most had their own non-transactional website and two of the stores had theirown online stores. The majority of sales was tradi-tional, meaning in store retailer to consumer business.Interestingly, a few retailers had evolved their storesfrom market stalls and indicated that a proportion ofvintage trade still took place on that basis.

A core part of the trading format is the store envi-ronment and all proprietors explained that the storeimage was essential to vintage retailing. Many partici-pants stated that the window styling, store layout andproduct display was important to create “a bygoneera” and many described the atmosphere as “quirky”and “individual”. Each store represented the personal-ity of the owner, with one proprietor explaining thathe wanted to “create the right kind of vibe” withmusic from a previous era and choosing items care-fully to represent his sense of taste and style. Manydisplayed “rare and interesting items” that would notbe sold but were kept for decoration only (for exam-ple, old gramophones, a 1970 “chopper” bicycle, mir-rors, hats, retro lamps, wallpaper from the 1970s, oldpictures and pieces of art and various other pieces ofmemorabilia). The product display varied from storeto store. Most displayed clothing in racks similar tonew modern high street retailing and many had bas-kets, tubs and shelves of mixed accessories and jewel-lery that consumers enjoyed “sifting through” and“hunting for a treasure or a bargain”.

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Conclusion

The vintage movement would appear to be an endur-ing trend, increasing in popularity in recent years,growing from something of a “fad” into a mainstreamfashion phenomenon. This is evidenced by its diversecustomer base, being as popular with young, fashionconscious consumers and maintaining a base of tradi-tional vintage customers of a variety of age groups.Additionally, the movement has gained pace due tomore recent concerns over ethical issues such as recy-cling and sustainability. The vintage consumer cantherefore be characterised not only as young and fash-ion conscious, responding to current fashion trends,but also as an older customer with a greater focus onprice and nostalgia. An emerging issue for bothgroups of customers was their ethical concerns. Futureresearch is necessary, however, to draw further com-parisons between these groups in terms of their pur-chase, and ethical purchase behaviour.

A key aim of this research was to define the con-cept of vintage fashion within its current context.Therefore, vintage fashion can be defined as:

Garments and accessories which are more than twentyyears old, which represent a particular fashion era,and which are valued for their uniqueness and authen-ticity.

The research also sought to consider the position-ing strategies of vintage fashion retailers. Table 3highlights the key areas of positioning within vintageretailing.

Retailers of vintage clothing differ from indepen-dent clothing businesses in their ability to sourceproducts which are on the whole totally individual.As one store owner explained, You are buying apiece of history … a treasure. The research there-fore revealed that vintage retailers position them-selves through their unique or distinctive retailingmix. This is most importantly reflected through thepersonality and expertise of the owner in relation tothe merchandise and merchandise sourcing. Of addi-

tional significance is the personality and “quirkiness”of the store interior and the effectiveness of WoMcommunication. Vintage retailers are often smallscale, owner-managed businesses, and are by virtueof this scale, close to the customer and thereforeable to build individual relationships through mer-chandise supply and customer service. The influenceof the store owner, their style and personality istherefore reflected and embedded throughout thepositioning of the business, offering differentiationof their individual stores within the marketplace.There remains a gap in the literature in terms ofanalysis of the vintage customer. The positioningmodel above could, in future studies, be used to eli-cit customer response to vintage retailer strategy.

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Sourcing: personal,diverse, intuitive, expertand historicalknowledge, global

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