The Rise of Vintage
As John Walsh notes in an article for The Independent on August 28,
2010, for many vintage consumers, “vintage is about looking forward
through the window of the past.” Nostalgia seems to have a vital role in
vintage consumption, as vintage garments have the ability to represent
past eras as stories are interweaved within the garments. Banim and
Guy (2001: 218–9) illustrate the point that vintage clothes have historical
attachments and by keeping garments those memories are preserved,
which demonstrates that the wearer feels these memories are too precious
to be discarded. Palmer (2005: 201) also suggests that the popularity
of vintage clothing has risen during recent years as a yearning for
familiarity in a society that is constantly changing with technological
advancements, and becoming more fast-paced and detached than ever
before. Vintage fashion can be seen as a form of stability against a rapidly
changing environment, which helps consumers to reconnect with a
time gone by where things were simpler. A study conducted by DeLong
et al. (2005: 25–40) also demonstrates that the history of vintage pieces
has an important influence on consumer purchasing decisions as it helps
them to connect with a past era.
In the following subsections the most significant factors that have
been linked to the rise of the vintage trend are presented.
As John Walsh notes in an article for The Independent on August 28,
2010, for many vintage consumers, “vintage is about looking forward
through the window of the past.” Nostalgia seems to have a vital role in
vintage consumption, as vintage garments have the ability to represent
past eras as stories are interweaved within the garments. Banim and
Guy (2001: 218–9) illustrate the point that vintage clothes have historical
attachments and by keeping garments those memories are preserved,
which demonstrates that the wearer feels these memories are too precious
to be discarded. Palmer (2005: 201) also suggests that the popularity
of vintage clothing has risen during recent years as a yearning for
familiarity in a society that is constantly changing with technological
advancements, and becoming more fast-paced and detached than ever
before. Vintage fashion can be seen as a form of stability against a rapidly
changing environment, which helps consumers to reconnect with a
time gone by where things were simpler. A study conducted by DeLong
et al. (2005: 25–40) also demonstrates that the history of vintage pieces
has an important influence on consumer purchasing decisions as it helps
them to connect with a past era.
In the following subsections the most significant factors that have
been linked to the rise of the vintage trend are presented.