| Thursday, September 09, 2010 | SUBSCRIBE | COMMUNITY LINKS | ADVERTISING INFO | TO REACH US |
 |
|
| HOME | | | HAPPENINGS | | | DECORATING | | | SPOTLIGHT | | | COLLECTING | | | AUTO | | | FASHION | | | TRAVEL | | | EVENTS | | | AUCTIONS | | | CLASSIFIEDS | | | PHOTO GALLERY | | | BLOG |
 |
|
 A Vintage Sole was launched in the beginning of November 2009. Brouwer attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and took some time to construct the operations aspects that needed to be in place. Her love of footwear, combined with her fashion education and family connection to the shoe business was the perfect foundation for her thriving online shop. Brouwer shares some of the ins and outs of running her unique vintage shoe shop, sourcing shoes, and why she doesn't deal in "deadstock". Who is a typical a Vintage Sole customer? AVintage Sole attracts a number of different kinds of customers. There are those who value all things vintage and are enthralled with the fact that the entire inventory is in mint condition. Then there are the women who have small feet and find it difficult to buy shoes in the current market. They love the fact that our inventory includes stylish shoes in a size 4.5. Really, a Vintage Sole appeals to any woman who loves shoes and wants something out of the mainstream. The shoes we offer are unique, beautiful, and incredibly well made. To me, that's the trifecta. How did you begin to collect and sell vintage shoes? Vintage shoes found me. My folks were looking into a few opportunities near their home in the way of shoe stores. While touring the building attached to one of the stores, they walked down the basement stairs into a trove of old merchandise. I immediately got a phone call from them saying I needed to come home and see all this for myself. I hopped on a plane back to Michigan and shared the same awestruck moment they had experienced. The basement of the store was filled with old inventory dating as far back as 1938 when the store opened. I started opening boxes and each one was more exciting than the last. The shoes were in perfect condition. It was obvious that many of them had never even been out of the box. I spoke with the owner and asked if she would mind if I took a few pair back to L.A. to test their condition. She agreed and I packed them in my bags. I wore them to school, out dancing, in the snow (not here, obviously), and anywhere else I could think of. Not only did they hold up, they turned out to be the most comfortable heels I have ever owned. Upon graduating from FIDM, I hopped back on a plane bound for Michigan and made arrangements to purchase the entire basement inventory. My folks decided not to pursue the shoe store but instead to help me develop my business. Both of my parents grew up in family businesses so the opportunity to help me appealed to them. Are your shoes all deadstock? The entire inventory of a Vintage Sole is deadstock. I tend not to use that term though because for me it has a connotation of unwanted shoes. These are simply shoes that didn't sell and that we're lucky enough to have as a result. It's more like re-found stock. Where do you acquire them? I've been fortunate that the original inventory is expansive enough that I don't have to resource for quite a while. With over 3,000 shoes in inventory, it allows me to focus on growing the business and then finding more stock. What do you look for in a vintage shoe? First and foremost I look for unworn stock when it comes to looking for new vintage inventory. I pass immediately if the pair has been worn out and about. After that I look at the style to establish the date. Since my inventory starts as early as the late 30s, I choose to deal mainly in styles from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. There are some shoes from the 70s offered at a Vintage Sole but the craftsmanship from the 70s changes drastically due to the changes within the shoe industry. Since quality is so important to me, I let my focus be on the earlier styles that exemplify those traits. As for myself, I look for anything that will look cute on my feet. A Vintage Sole can be found online at www.avintagesole.com. Sandra Mendoza-Daly is a vintage fashion expert. She owns a vintage clothing shop and writes for her blog at www.debutanteclothing.com. |
|
