13 Mar The Manhattan Vintage Show Saga, Part II

It took us a few months, but we are finally finishing up the Manhattan Vintage Show saga! Flashback to October – we were running around like crazy people to prepare for our first Manhattan Vintage Show as a vendor. We already told you about all that, now it’s finally time to talk about the show itself as we are preparing for our second time around. Interested in joining us? April 5th & 6th, us and close to 70 other vendors will be selling at the Met Pavillion. Get your tickets here.

Here we go, folks.

Bleary-eyed but ready to roll, the crew and I woke up before the sun and started to make our way to NYC from Secaucus… us and like a million other people. What seemed like an eternity was really about 40 minutes, and we were lucky enough to squeeze the van into a spot close to the loading zone behind the Metropolitan Pavillion. I know, this saga is full of first world problems.

Racks, bins, dress forms, and glass cases were being wheeled and drug into the chaotic venue. In what could’ve been a very stressful environment, everyone participating was strangely calm and polite. We were directed to the booth and given our passes. We have been alerted prior to arrival that our space was slightly larger in size they have promised, but had a pillar smack dab in the middle. The three of us schlepped pieces back-and-forth while one stood guard over the van.

During the drive, there were a few casualties. Two racks had tipped over and hangers became snarled in lace and crochet. This go-around we are problem-solving other ways to tie down the racks and committing to putting the most precious of pieces in bins for safer travel. Live and learn right? What’s a saga without a little tragedy?

The (calm?) before the storm.

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Over the course of the next few hours, we assembled our booth, met the promoters, and then hi-tailed it to the hotel. We had about an hour to shower, beautify, eat, and make it back to the venue. Securing a hotel near the Metropolitan Pavilion was essential to my plan and proved important. Back at the Met, all of the dealers started arriving in their best vintage. We all struggled to find ensembles that were eye-catching but easy to wear for the 10 hour day. While walking around to see the other booths prior to opening, I (literally) bumped into one of my favorite vintage sellers from my college days. Lenore Newman from Patina. She recognized me immediately and gave me the warmest of hugs.

Patina used to be in the center of Soho and closed a few years ago. Although she closed her storefront, she continues to sell on 1stdibs.com and to private clients. The next person on my list to find in this saga was Jenn McCollouch of Olives Very Vintage. I worked there from opening day in 2000-2002. Jenn yelped when I walked in her booth, considering we hadn’t seen each other in over ten years. It’s safe to say she hadn’t aged a bit! Her elaborate setup featured backdrops of tapestries and suitcases. It wasn’t just a booth, it was a mini store, a destination.

I learned that day that in a few short months Jenn was closing the doors to her brick-and-mortar shop like Lenore, and moving everything online. I had a brief moment to catch up with Howard of Auerbach Mafia and Andrea from Lofty Vintage just before the deluge of buyers came in.

So, what’s the clientele like?

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I had heard from many that the first day of the show is primarily Industry buyers. TV and movie costume designers, textile and print designers, celebrity stylists and the like. Saturday is mostly “regular” consumers. Locals, design students, lookie-lou’s, the whole nine yards. With such a diverse crowd, it felt like I was in the middle of a trend forecasting frenzy. I felt like the people who run WGSN.com were all over the place, getting their reports ready for next season.

I was so nervous that my inventory couldn’t compare to the seasoned sellers at the show. What if our sales didn’t compare to the cost? Would it just be all for the experience?

Well, all those worries quickly fell to the wayside. After the two days combined our sales were within 10% of what I was hoping for. We had residual sales after the fact from clients who began following us on social media. In turn, those sales made up for those dollars lost on that weekend. The overall vibe was friendly and fun from sellers and buyers alike.

Over the course of two days, we sold to the gals from Dannijo, and even actress Debi Mazar. The ladies of Dannijo were great and we can’t wait to see them again in April. It’s incredibly refreshing to see some up and coming brands get a lot of their inspiration from vintage. Of course, after two days of non-stop work on our feet, we were burnt out. One of the best parts about all of the experience was winding up in the background of Japanese Vogue!

The Manhattan Vintage Saga Continues…

Although this segment of the Manhattan Vintage Show Saga is over, there’s still more to come at the next showcase on April 5th & 6th. Get your tickets at manhattanvintage.com.

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