Vintage fashion is where classical style meets modern sustainability. As the modern fashion industry, notorious for producing clothing en masse, contends with the ethics of ‘fast fashion’, vintage clothing offers an attractive alternative. It also presents a fun opportunity to personalise your style. But, before you go hunting through op-shops – remember that not all second-hand clothing is vintage. Genuine vintage refers to good-quality, one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect the best styles of their era. If you get your hands on a real vintage jacket, you can expect it to remain a wardrobe staple for the rest of your life.
Perth’s best vintage boutiques know the art of sourcing unique, classic pieces. If you’re thinking about buying something new – drop into one of these stores and you might just leave with something old!
Fi & Co, Northbridge
Fiona Hiew opened Fi & Co after travelling overseas and finding vintage pieces that weren’t available back in Perth. While Fiona also sources local pieces, a notable international collection remains at the heart of the store. The garments are curated from across Europe and Asia, with each piece containing a unique history and character. Fiona values old world craftsmanship and good design, and you will find a distinctly haute couture collection in the boutique. Look out for high-end brands such as Burberry, Giorgio Armani, Gino Charles and Dolce and Gabbana. If you are looking for an ethical gift, the store also stocks local and handmade products including soy candles, natural soaps and jewellery.
The boutique is located on William Street in Northbridge and you can also find them on Instagram at @fiandco
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 11 am – 5.30 pm
260 William Street, Northbridge
Bluebird Vintage, Wembley
Cambridge Street’s strawberry-coloured boutique is perfect for rediscovering the fun in vintage fashion. Their colourful collection of 1950’s sundresses, stylish hats, and ornate jewellery make Bluebird Vintage the place to shop if you love pin-up era fashion. Owner Deborah Dickson is passionate about sourcing high-quality, sought-after pieces for her customers. The boutique’s petite size means Deborah has to be highly selective about her collection choices. She handpicks women’s clothing and accessories from the early 1940’s to the late 1990’s, and you will often find 1960’s faux fur coats, 1980’s shoulder-padded dresses and vintage lingerie within the store. Any vintage enthusiast will also enjoy trawling through Bluebird Vintage’s stacks of antique trunks and mid-century homewares.
If you have been holding onto your own retro treasures, Deborah also offers free in-store valuations of collectibles.
You can find Bluebird Vintage on Instagram at @bluebirdvintageperth
Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 5.30 pm 288 Cambridge Street, Wembley
Lucy in Disguise, Subiaco
Lucy in Disguise is tucked into a small laneway on Subiaco’s Rokeby Road. Since opening the boutique in 2008, Erina Millstead has been sourcing and curating a local and international collection of vintage fashion. Erina regularly travels to the United States and sources many of her pieces there. She also curates her items from Australia’s eastern states, local markets and private homes. The boutique stocks fashion from throughout the 20th century, with Erina favouring the harder to find garments from the earlier decades of the 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940’s. In their current collection, you will find 70’s dresses, 80’s jumpsuits and vintage wedding dresses along with an eclectic variety of records, cassettes and accessories. The boutique also offers costume hire in their decade-inspired fancy dress shop.
You can find Lucy in Disguise on Instagram at @lucydisguise
Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10.30 am – 5 pm, and until 6 pm on Thursdays 144 Rokeby Road, Subiaco
The Cool Room Collective Vintage + Makers, Maylands
The Cool Room Vintage is part of a unique collaboration between two women, Julie Austin-Dear and Tracy Frawley, involving vintage clothing and locally made products. Julie has managed the vintage and pre-loved clothing section of The Collective since the store’s official opening in February. The store opened with pieces from Julie’s own wardrobe and now offers locally sourced garments from the 1950’s to 1990’s. Favouring the 1980’s stylistic era of bold prints and shoulder pads, Julie likes hunting for 1980’s pieces from Australian fashion icons such as Ken Done, Kerry McGee, Jenny Kee, and Stuart Membery.
Julie tries to avoid fast-moving trends and likes to source totally unique pieces. Some of her favourite pieces from the current collection include a faux fur leopard print coat from Paris, Versace style chain & rope baroque shirt and a velvet dust jacket. The Cool Room’s latest project involves the transformation of a spare room into a space full of vintage ball gowns, including taffeta, silk, satin and velvet prom dresses.
For a truly unique weekend activity with friends, the boutique also offers bookable private shopping nights for small groups. With complimentary champagne and nibbles, your group will spend two hours dressing up in vintage clothes in an environment unlike any other retail store.
You can find The Cool Room Collective Vintage + Makers on Instagram at @cool_room_vintage Opening hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 10 am – 4pm, Sunday 11 am – 3 pm 67A Eighth Avenue, Maylands
Beat Happening, Fremantle
Beat Happening’s brick and mortar store is tucked down Fremantle’s Tum Tum Tree Lane. Influenced by the beat generation and similar counterculture movements, the boutique is filled with a bohemian collection of vintage clothing, second-hand vinyl, literature and collectibles. Bernadette London’s background in visual art, textiles and costume styling led her to opening the boutique in late 2017. With her fashion expertise, Bernadette curates an eclectic selection of vintage and recycled clothing from the 1920’s to the 1990’s. Amongst the collection you will find 1960’s clothes from London’s Carnaby St, 1980’s COOGI designer chunky knits and new old stock French sunglasses. Don’t forget to hunt through the vintage records and literature, where you can find jazz and soul vinyl from the United States, new wave and punk 7” singles from the UK and first print editions of classic beat novels like Jack Kerouac’s Doctor Sax.
You can find Beat Happening on Instagram at @beat_happening
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Thursday 11 am – 4 pm; Friday 11 am – 5 pm and Saturday 10 am – 5 pm. 4/130 High Street, Tum Tum Tree Lane
Kubank Designs, Subiaco
Barry and Pam Kubank have run their Subiaco boutique together for over thirty years. Pam started as a designer and only began selling vintage clothing after a client offered to source pieces from Melbourne warehouses for her. Still sourced from Melbourne today, the garments are reasonably priced between $45 – $70. Pam also sells her own designs in the boutique, including custom designed wedding and ball dresses. Many of her pieces are made from vintage fabrics and are inspired by retro styles and trends. Custom design prices depend on the chosen fabric and will often range between $100-$600, with wedding dresses priced up to $1200. Look out for coats from the 1940’s and Pam’s signature 1950’s inspired dress designs.
You can find Kubank Designs on Instagram @kubankdesigns
Read more about Kubank Designs here
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Friday 10am – 5.30 pm, Saturday 10am – 5 pm. 113 Rokeby Road, Subiaco
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