We here at Goldsmith Vintage are fortunate enough to have a fantastic team working with us, each of whom brings their own unique brand of creativity and fun to the GV table. Today we’re catching up with 24 year old Selena who hails from Germany and is one of our fabulous ecommerce assistants in our webstore team. Like everyone here at GV, they’re passionate about sustainability and of course, vintage clothing, hoping to become a vintage sourcer.
GV: Hi Selena! We love your look! How would you describe your individual look?
S: For me it’s more about expressing how I feel that day instead of wearing a particular style. I’m genderqueer so I feel more masc or femme on particular days and dress according to that usually. I’ve been told I dress like an art student because I tend to dress alternatively. I wear a lot of chains, fishnet and funky prints and love to layer pieces. Putting my outfit together is a creative and emotional process for me and expressing my personality and values is key in my fashion- I’m proud of being queer, nonbinary and want to make sure that translates into my look.
GV: We love that so much goes into your personal style. So would you say you have a go-to outfit?
S: A long sleeve print top layered underneath a corset and some men’s suit trousers with matching oversized blazer is one of my fave go-to’s. I usually pair this with some stainless steel chain necklaces and some chunky skull rings. My favourite shoes at the moment are my platform New Rocks which I wear almost everywhere whether that’s at the warehouse office or a warehouse rave.
GV: Love it! So who do you consider to be your style icon?
S: I don’t really have any particular person whose style I follow but I take inspiration from the London punk scene in the mid 70’s. I like the rebelliousness and the fact that it was all about anti-establishment and non-conformity. Soo Catwoman is one of my favourite inspirations- the shaved head and bold eyeliner and rejection of mainstream beauty standards really speaks to me as I don’t want to dress in a way that appeases people.
GV: Amen to that! So why do you like working with vintage clothes rather than new or high street brands?
S: Apart from the fact that I find vintage clothing more interesting and of better quality than high street fashion, I also try not to support fast fashion as much as possible. Having worked for high street brands in the past I’ve experienced the level of waste first hand which has made me critical of the trend cycle and aware of my own consumption. Vintage clothing is a lot more sustainable as it actively avoids clothes ending up in landfill and lets older items be re-loved again. On top of that I also love sorting through second hand clothes and finding that one-of-a-kind item that’s been sitting in someone’s wardrobe for years.
GV: We hear you! What's your advice for anyone new to vintage? Any top tips for shopping second hand fashion?
S: The most important thing is to take your time and keep an open mind. Shopping second hand usually involves rifling through rails and digging around until you find that gem. It requires patience but it's always worth it. Even online marketplaces requires scrolling loads but for me that’s a lot more fun because I end up finding really unique pieces that I connect with and that make me feel like myself when I wear them.
GV: So why would you say that shopping vintage is so important?
S: Because fast fashion and the subsequent micro trends are just not viable. Vintage is the way forward as it has a fraction of the environmental impact that fast fashion has and so I think shopping vintage is more important now than ever.
GV: What are your top 5 picks from the website / warehouse of items?
