VINTAGE RENTALS: Why Do We Do It & What’s the Future?
Did you know that when Carmine & Hayworth Vintage first opened in June 2018 we only did vintage clothing rentals?
Our first studio space in 2018
No? That’s okay, a lot of people don’t! Those who’ve met me know that my true love is vintage fashion and garment history. That’s why when I first opened I wanted to give people the opportunity to wear special vintage garments without having to make a big investment in purchasing them (I get having a tight budget!). When I talked to friends and family about my business plan they (understandably) were hesitant at how I was going to maintain the grind of renting out my precious vintage garments, doing appointments, cleaning, mending, working a side job, and all that comes with the rental industry. I know many thought I was very naïve to think I could make this a sustainable business plan, I honestly didn’t care whether it was or not!
I was determined to make my full-time job something that had to do with vintage clothing. I admittedly didn’t have the confidence to open a brick & mortar vintage shop even though I had been selling on Etsy since 2011. I knew the path that laid ahead would be difficult for someone who didn’t have any money behind them or small business loans. I figured I wasn’t spending money on inventory, rather monetizing the collection I had already amassed until I got the courage to take the risk of opening an actual storefront. For those interested in how I started my actual storefront and the struggles that came with it, give a listen to an episode I did on our shop podcast “Conversations In A Vintage Shop” about my journey. You can take a listen HERE, but for this post I’m focusing on the rental aspect.
One of the first vintage rental promo shoots in 2018 / Photo by Kelsey Jenson
I lost the actual photo file, so excuse my screenshot :/
I started off doing small garment rental for events and some promotional photoshoots, but it didn’t take very long until I made the decision to expand into full retail. Within that year I moved from my tiny studio space to a slightly larger space that had an extra room where I could keep my rental inventory and then a full retail area. I still did rentals, but it mainly started to focus more on photoshoots than retail rentals, which I found didn’t bother me at all. My goal was to make vintage clothing accessible to people, but I found myself becoming more and more inspired by helping to create a story through the clothing I collected. Whether it was for a magazine, editorial shoot, creative shoots, or video production, I loved seeing these pieces immortalized in art. I’ve become really addicted to it almost as if I’m a stage mom to the clothing!
Our second studio/ retail space from 2019-2020
Flash forward to now I’ve been really thinking about the goal of my rental inventory and how I was to utilize each item. At the risk of sounding kooky, I really see each garment as having its own story and purpose. Some people having children, I have vintage fashion.
Some of my favorite styled shoots through the years!
Over the past year I’ve made the decision to retool my rental structure and am excited for the future of using my rentals to help create a vision! I’m focusing on editorials, photography and film shoots that can help me solidify the immortality of these garments. Trust me, I know that’s a weird sentiment to have about an object, but I truly see them as so much more!
Every garment in the collection has a memory and story attached to it that I keep not only in my Rolodex of a brain, but online as well.
Tylar Frame Photography
Let me show you how to have fun with vintage fashion!
Are you a photographer, costume designer, film producer, or any other creative needing a wardrobe or inspiration? Head over to the Rental section of our site to see how to connect with us!
