Vintage, upcycled and chic

In recent years, fashion has gone down quite a few interesting routes, with no single season-defining trend to speak of. This speaks of a democratization of fashion, with a push towards finding personal style defined by one’s own standards. It is now perfectly acceptable to be bohemian or goth all year round, or turn a classic suit modern with a few playful accessories. Even shoulder pads are back, used judiciously, of course. This push for individuality has taught people the value of shopping their closet (or that of their parents) to find unique pieces they can mix and match with their basics and store-bought finds. 

This movement, figuratively speaking, has sparked greater interest in vintage shopping. Astute shoppers are keeping an eye out for that one sartorial find that will set them apart from the madding crowd. Quite a few of these vintage shops have popped up on social media, with followers waiting on collection drops that they can “mine,” “grab,” or “steal.” 

Taking vintage shopping to the next level is The Little Vintage Shop (TLVS). It was founded by Penny Lopez-Katigbak, Frannie Lopez-Manotoc, Annalyn de Silva-Garcia and Mel Mora-Asuncion in 2023 as one of the key projects of Zonta Club Makati and Environs. Starting out as a pop-up under the foundation’s annual fair, FilipinaZ, their goal was to raise funds in support of the various women’s causes they support. 

LET’S GO VINTAGE SHOPPING

The story of the beginnings of TLVS began with a bit of a sales pitch, so to speak. “The first thing we needed to do was to get everyone, including our members, to get on board with the concept of vintage, and preloved,” says Mora-Asuncion. “Once they understood what we were trying to do, the donations came pouring in. It was quite a treasure trove!”  Once they had the ball rolling and the boxes started coming in, there went all in, and haven’t looked back since. 

Unboxing day is always particularly exciting for the ladies and their team, as they never know what they’ll find. “We were surprised by the clothes, bags, and even home décor that came our way. Designer pieces even,” enthused Lopez-Katigbak. One of their most recent arrivals were several sets of linens with accents of Belgian and German lace, “donated by a lady whose grandmother would painstakingly iron each piece before keeping them in the closet. She hoped they would find a home where they will be just as appreciated,” Mora-Asuncion shared. 

The next step is curation, to assure their customers that when they shop at TLVS, they are finding truly unique. “We really look at everything closely, and the best pieces go to the store,” explains Lopez-Katigbak. “We want each purchase to feel special, as though it was carefully selected and found for them. That is the experience we hope to give our patrons.” Other donations are sent to various charities, while others are earmarked to be upcycled and reimagined.

As for price points? “We price our pieces a lot lower than you think. I’d say they are practically a steal! And that is including the designer pieces,” adds Lopez-Katigbak.

UPCYCLED AND REIMAGINED

One of the side projects that TLVS has gone fully into, as part of their move towards greater sustainability in fashion is upcycling, which is led by Lopez-Manotoc, the lead designer behind Estela Enchanted. “We try to bring new life into some of the clothes and. Fabrics donated to us by redesigning them, adding appliqués, or transforming them into new pieces,” she explains. “I see it as our contribution to circular fashion, because we keep these clothes from going into the landfill.” In fact, during the interview, she was wearing a cropped bomber jacket fashioned out of an old bedsheet, jazzed up with local weaves and floral embellishments. On the other hand, De Silva-Asuncion turns fabric swatches into tote bags and pillow covers.

Their upcycling collections have also opened up doors for collaborations with the likes of designers Happy Andrada and Byzantine Time Traveller.

MAKING MEANINGFUL CHANGE

At the heart of TLVS is a desire to build a better life for those in need. As active members of Zonta Club Makati and Environs, service has always been part of these ladies’ DNA. Now they have a platform to help in a truly impactful way. 

Their main beneficiary are the girls seeking refuge at the Psychological Center for Sexually Abused Girls in Muntinlupa. Since they opened in 1997, they have provided support for over 10,000 girls who have sought their help. The proceeds from the sales of vintage clothes, their upcycled pieces, and collab collections are used “to provide psychological services and support to these girls, to help them come to terms and cope with the trauma they’ve experienced,” shares De Silva-Garcia. “We are grateful that we get the chance to contribute to reshaping their life story. So they have the chance to really move forward.”

In fact, Lopez-Katigbak describes TLVS as an advocacy, and not a business. “I cannot stress this enough. While yes, we are selling clothes, our main focus is to raise funds to support this cause,” she explains. “This is something we all really believe in, because we see lives changed. We are grateful that our donors and our customers share this vision.” Safe to say, when you walk out of TLVS, you hold in your hand a story that reaches much farther than you can imagine. 

A SPACE TO GROW

After the success of their first pop-up over in Spatio in Opus Mall, The Little Vintage Shop finds itself with a much larger space to welcome vintage fans and one-of-a-kind treasure seekers. It opens tomorrow, and they welcome the challenge to fill the shelves with even more curated vintage finds and unique pieces waiting to be discovered. 

In this age of overconsumption, what balances the scales is a democratization of fashion. In a manner of speaking. It is but trés chic to head out in a cool vintage jacket, and wearing it with an on-trend pair of dark barrel-shaped jeans. Or maybe even a skirt that’s been upcycled by way of patchwork and appliqués.  It’s really all about how you bring the whole look together, with the added perk of having a great story to go with your outfit. For the ladies of the The Little Vintage Shop — Penny Lopez-Katigbak, Frannie Lopez-Manotoc, Mel Mora-Asuncion, Annalyn de Silva-Garcia — holding space for these stories to continue through each piece their customers donate or bring home is what drives them to keep going. That each purchase made also allows them to change and build better lives for their beneficiaries — then that just takes shopping with them to the next level.