n Truly mad about vintage: Phillipa, seen above, with some of her favourite pieces in the store.
By Nicola Moyne
AN eclectic style, such as the one favoured by Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Natalie Imbruglia is notoriously hard to emulate. But one affordable way to channel the vintage look is to actually buy into vintage.
Over the last few years, sales of retro and vintage garments have shot up, and now Chelmsford residents can get in on the action without traipsing to Portobello Road market every weekend.
Truly Madly Vintage is Chelmsford’s only vintage store and, having opened only last month, it’s doing a roaring trade thanks to owner Philippa Barnes’ enthusiasm.
“I have always been interested in finding different looks and interesting pieces, so I started working on it as a business during the summer last year,” she tells me.
“I started by trading at vintage fashion fairs in London and online, and once the business was established I decided the next logical step would be to expand and get a shop.”
Indeed, despite never owning a store before, Philippa, who previously worked in Human Resources, has turned Truly Madly Vintage into a treasure trove for vintage fans across the county and currently stocks everything from 50s party dresses to furniture and shoes.
“Customers can expect to find a whole array of clothing, jewellery, accessories, shoes and home wares in the shop,” Philippa explains, “We’re always trying to expand the range and match customers to the specific pieces they’re looking for.
“We get new stock in all the time, so there’s always something new to see and we also offer a ‘vintage made to measure’ service whereby customers can pick a style of dress that they like and we can get it made up by a seamstress in their exact size.”
In fact there’s little Philippa hasn’t thought of, and whether you’re looking for a vintage bridesmaid dress, or an outfit for a 1940s revival weekend, Truly Madly Vintage can supply it.
“We also run Vintage Parties where we come to the hostess’s house with a range of clothing and accessories and champagne and the hostess and their friends spend the evening looking through and trying clothes before making their purchase,” the 26-year-old adds.
“It’s similar to a Tupperware party but for vintage clothing and the hostess gets a reward in the form a vouchers as a thank you for hosting the party.”
But with the popularity for retro and vintage pieces continuing to boom, why does Philippa think the trend has become so in demand?
“People have become more interested in where their consumables come from – whether it be food or clothing and they are asking more questions and making decisions based on what they hear,” she offers.
“There is more interest in recycling and living in a more sustainable and ethical way now and this ties in neatly with vintage clothing. I also think that people are becoming more confident to express themselves through their clothing and while fashion trends are still important, people also want to look individual.
“When wearing vintage, you’ll never experience the horror of showing up to a party in the same outfit as someone else!”
Find Truly Madly Vintage at 173 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford. For further details call 01245 287961, or to shop online, visit www.trulymadlyvintage.com.