If your Instagram feed looks anything like mine, it’s chock-full of perfect-condition Dior and Chanel kitten heels; archival Versace, Tom Ford for Gucci, and Mugler dresses and jackets; and a kaleidoscope of colorful Fendi Baguette bags. Every week it seems, there are more one-of-one items to indulge in, with drops from all fashion eras and categories arriving on my phone screen like clockwork. In a world where fast fashion continues to reign supreme, no matter how many people claim to have given it all up, my all-vintage Instagram page is an oasis—a place where wanting to add to my wardrobe doesn’t feel bad. And there are three specific IG stores that I hold responsible.
Alexia Ioannou, Mariana Vergara, and Julia Rabinowitsch run the accounts that keep my feed filled with beautiful things, including Elsa Peretti jewelry, feather-trim satin Manolos, and Victorian-era blazers via their respective e-shops: Nou; Merci, C’est Vintage; and The Millennial Decorator. All three women have built something out of nothing—gone off on their own and built not just loyal customer bases but entire communities from the ground up. Together, they’re carving a path for fashion that’s not reliant on new, new, new, but rather everything beautiful that’s already been created and is now waiting for its next home. Read their stories and discover their ever-changing curations below.
If Alexia Ioannou’s name sounds familiar to you but her vintage brand Nou doesn’t, you probably recognize it from her personal style account, @bohochicken, where she’s garnered 115,000 followers and counting. She founded Nou in 2018 after years spent sending the same disappointing response to those questioning where she got her unique items: “It’s vintage.” “I saw a demand for people wanting vintage from a curiosity regarding my own wardrobe,” she explains. “At its heart, Nou is an outlet for me to share items that are a reflection of my own psyche and genuine interests.” Every one-of-one item sold at the Los Angeles–based store is handpicked based on Ioannou’s own, individual tastes: “Each piece showcases a sliver of my mind,” she says. It just so happens that what piques her interest, piques a lot of people’s interests, a point that’s made even more believable when you look at Ioannou’s rèsumè, which features stints in the marketing departments at Barneys New York (we miss you!) and Mother Denim. She knows what people want to buy, and Nou’s current designer shoe selection can prove it.
Tell me about your community.Â
Just like any form of self-expression, the opinion of what is fashionable is relative and varies from person to person. I’m so grateful to have a community that understands my taste and my vision. My greatest success is making other women look and feel good through what they’re wearing. I still pinch myself anytime I’m out and a cool chick comes up to me and recognizes my brand. I hope that every person who shops Nou feels how personal it is. Every single item that I share with my community is something I love and would wear myself.
Describe the feeling of discovering a true vintage gem, and what are some of the best ones you’ve found in the past?
There’s a certain rush that comes with discovering something you were never expecting to find. I discovered some of my most memorable vintage while sourcing in Paris. I’ll never forget this 1998 vintage black Versace gown that I found. It had the most divine fishnet detailing all along the sides and hugged the body in all of the right places. What a beautiful experience it is to go into a place filled with a slew of items and come out with just a small handful of things that made you feel something.
The risk is definitely worth the reward.
At times, working for yourself can feel very isolating. The best knowledge really does come through experience, and sometimes the only way to learn is through making mistakes. I always tell my friends, you never sleep the same after starting your own business. There is a lot of pressure to keep things flowing, and that can be tough when you’re naturally a creative like me. The business side of things can definitely feel overwhelming. With all that being said, the risk is definitely worth the reward.
Do you have any tips for other women who want to start shopping vintage but don’t know where to start?
Sourcing vintage goes beyond just having a knack for it. It’s hours of research and discovery. It’s hedging bets. It’s doing the work on yourself so your intuition is strong and clear. I’ll be digging in the most random of corners in the world and come out with just five pieces that I really believe in. I hand-carry everything home just for you, try everything on to make sure it fits and feels right, and often pay a premium that doesn’t make sense for reselling. Just like any other career, you have to really love what you do, and that feeling will reflect in the work you produce.
