Vintage Value

Amours Antique

Browsing in this SoHo treasure trove feels a bit like rummaging through a great aunt’s attic, finding kitsch knick-knacks, intriguing antiques and romantic old clothes from decades past. Owner Wendy Ko sources her stock on regular sojourns to Europe, bringing back stunning vintage dresses, art deco handbags, classic Disney trinkets, old calendars, lamps, phones, radios, figurines, dolls, buttons, ash-trays, and framed pictures. The clothes, dating from the 1890s to the 1950s, aren’t for daily wear - unless you are very experimental. But they’re drop-dead gorgeous when you want to make an impression. It’s not particularly cheap - rare 19th-century items go for up to $20,000 – but always worth dropping by for an interesting blast from the past.
45 Staunton St., Central, 2803-7877

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Local bohemian Nadia Ying opened this secondhand store four months ago, right across from Paua Spa at Centre Stage. Stuck for what to call it, a friend suggested she apply the current formula for naming fashionable clubs and restaurants: a random word and numeral. Wacky, one-off artifacts, quirky furniture and down-to-earth casual wear for boys and girls are arranged in aesthetic chaos around the store. She also sells bags and accessories designed by friends. “We just wanted to do our own thing,” Ying said. “So I started collecting old clothes from friends. Doesn’t matter whether it’s fairly new or vintage, as long as it has character.” She joined forces with hairstylist Thomas Lee, who creates flattering hairdos in a neat little corner with a fellow stylist, Ray Chan. Accessories made by Chan’s wife fill a shelf in a corner display. And if that seems too artsy, you’ll also find shelves devoted to secondhand Prada, Gucci and Chanel at prices ranging from $500 to $6,000.
Shop A, G/F, Grandview Garden, 18 Bridges St., Central, 9310-6168

Ladyplace

This cramped little space is packed with the world’s most prestigious labels at discount prices – much of it pre-loved by local celebs. You can avoid the warehouse ambiance by buying online at “the best resell virtual shop in town.” But make the trip in person and you might find yourself rifling through the racks of plastic bag-covered clothes with celebrities and tai-tais who secretly – and not so secretly – buy and sell their couture here. “A lot of rich people sell us new shoes and clothes, since they never bothered to wear them in the first place,” says Esther, who’s been working at Ladyplace almost since it opened eight years ago. Then there’s the whole section devoted to the cast-offs of local starlet Teresa Cheung, who apparently has a penchant for Chloe and vintage jewelry. She sold the entire contents of her apartment – pictures, cutlery, furniture, but not her books – through Ladyplace before moving to New York a couple of years ago. “I’ve got her curtains at home,” Esther beams.
Unit A, 1/F, World Trust Tower, 50 Stanley St., Central, 28542321, [email protected], www.ladyplace.com

Midwest

Opened by Midwesterner John Hollander, this is the place for vintage American casual. As you might expect, denim is the mainstay, along with eternally popular T-shirts and three-button Ralph Laurens. The only venue in town that carries Western wear all year round started as a showroom but evolved into retail. Now it’s taken over a third of the mall and even has full-time seamstresses on staff. The clothes are mostly from Goodwill or the Salvation Army in the United States. And before you ask, yes they are all laundered before being put on the rack, giving this spacious, wood-paneled store that fresh, clean, all-American smell. It sounds like America, too, with a “less talk, more rock” California radio station blasting through the speakers. There’s also a hot selection of vintage military gear, leather jackets and cowboy boots.
G/F, 63 Victoria Centre, 15 Watson Rd., North Point, 2802-6886

SatisFactory Vintage Emporium

When current owner Salina Lam’s little brother opened SatisFactory seven years ago, it sold mostly vintage Gucci and Dior bags. Then last year, some evil bitches broke in and stole most of the stock. Now it’s been revamped and reopened as a vintage emporium selling secondhand wedding dresses, hats, gloves, and formal wear. There are still some vintage Gucci shoes and Dior suitcases around, which fat cat Momo guards with his life. Most items are sourced from the UK, with some from the US. Vintage wedding gowns are a bargain at $4,000 to $7,000. “I can’t sell them for more in Hong Kong,” Salina says. “Chinese are superstitiously wary about second-hand clothing. Westerners find it a blessing that someone has worn the dress before - it gives the dress history and character - whereas Chinese would just be concerned about the previous wearer being dead.”
2/F, 6 Pak Sha Rd, Causeway Bay, 9783-5141

Riccin Antiques and Jewelry

A replica of a European streetlamp marks this dainty little shop surrounded by old Chinese antiques stores on the lower part of Elgin. It’s pronounced “rissin,” an amalgamation of the owners’ names, husband and wife Richard and Cindy. Most days you can find Cindy in her charming realm of antique accessories, vintage hats and art nouveau jewelry, listening to Norah Jones. She is an avid collector, and when she ran out of room at home Richard set up the shop so she could sell her beloved trinkets, and those picked up by her partners in Japan, the US and Europe. Sometimes it seems she doesn’t really want to part with her curios and customers have remarked about the capricious opening hours – occasionally she shuts up shop for afternoon tea.
14E, Elgin St., Central, 2975-9033

Beatniks

Even secondhand clothing has its fads. When the trend was for 1960s and 70s styles, Beatniks was Mecca. Now vintage fashionistas have shifted their attention to the 1980s, and Beatniks has moved out of its massive Causeway Bay warehouse and into cozier premises under a highway in Tin Hau. Don’t let that put you off: this place is embarrassingly easy to find, with a bright orange wall emblazoned with an enormous “Beatniks” sign. Inside, Bebel Gilberto provides bossa nova as you peruse racks of 60s and 70s clothes in a kaleidoscope of prints and colors, mostly sourced from America. You’ll also find a few rare, chic pieces from the 1950s.
G/F, 13 Ching Fung St., Tin Hau, 2739-8494

Retrostone Used Clothes and Accessories

Look no further for no-frills secondhand clothing. Retrostone has a huge selection of graphic-print shirts, jeans and logo T-shirts mostly from the 70s, including those nostalgic iron tees with sparkly plastic or photographic prints. All the clothes are second-hand, cherished by the owner, and mainly sourced from Thailand and Southeast Asia. About a third of the stock comprises rare, pre-70s pieces. Go dig.
1/F, 504 Lockhart Rd, Causeway Bay, 2838-6419
B28, Basement, Trendy Zone, Mongkok, 2152-9697
1/F, 23 Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2368-8859

How to Buy Vintage Fashion

Never bought second-hand stuff before? Here are some old-school pointers.

• High-end couture gowns were worn probably only once or twice, so they should be clean enough. Check for pulled threads, especially on embroidery, and stains.

• If you buy secondhand casual wear, machine wash or dry clean before wearing – it might have been marinating in mold or dust for decades. The dry-cleaning bill might come to more than your 70s shirt, but hey, it’s a small price to pay for fashion.

• If you’re hardcore, check whether there’s historical value in a piece. Some garments are collectable, such as rare designs or even those with a fault that makes the item unique.