From Culver City to Palm Springs, vendors hailed from long and far to sell their clothes and accessories at LightSpace Studio, where more than 300 customers came out for a day of vintage clothing shopping.
“This show really upped the average,” said Dave Temple, owner of Clever Vintage Clothing in downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District and the man who made it all happen. One reason may have been that this was the first time Temple had hosted a $50-and-under event.
The idea behind creating such an exhibition of fine vintage clothing, the first of which opened its doors last June, was to provide customers with “a show” while bringing “like-minded” vendors together. “It’s really about giving our clients the best vintage at the most affordable price,” he said.
“There’s an existing community in vintage,” said Julian Hobson, who handles the public relations for Clever Vintage. He said that a lot of vintage sellers are also designers and that the business is a “whole process.” They certainly seem to care about each other. Dealers asked each other thoughtful questions on the floor and couldn’t help buying a few pieces from other camps.
Temple does, in fact, appreciate the welcoming vibe of vintage. “What I love about vintage is that it’s inclusive.” He doesn’t want anything “too exclusive or too snooty.”
The entrepreneur, whose Clever clothing has been seen on A&E’s “Mad Men,” also promotes local restaurants by featuring them during the show, where one can buy a plate along with a sumptuous dessert after long hours standing. The clothes, too, are pieces one might not find anywhere else. From costume jewelry to beautiful dresses in about any color imaginable, the clothing is really unique in its own right.
Temple’s next show is Sept. 10, at the same place.
For more information, visit Clevervintageclothing.com.