NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
HASSON
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
No items found.
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Pink
frost
Thistle
brown
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Super talented stylist-turned-photographer Thistle Browne and stylist Heathermary Jackson — both in New Zealand during COVID-19 lockdowns — traveled to Rangitoto Island, a dormant volcano off the coast of Central Auckland, to shoot the new campaign for New Zealand jewelry designer Jasmin Sparrow. The shoot showcases Sparrow’s timeless gold and silver jewelry, and a beautiful collection of hand-beaded bras and skull caps designed with Glen Prentice. Models wore mainly vintage from Search and Destroy and Brownstone Cowboys’ collection, combined with some local, sustainable brands and New Zealand gumboots (rainboots).
Photography:Thistle Brown Styling:Heathermary Jackson Designers: Jasmin Sparrow and Glen Prentice Models: Charlotte Moffatt, Nina Katungi, Obadiah Russon
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
FASHION & BEAUTY
October 11, 2023
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
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NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
January 5, 2023
Fashion & Beauty
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
NYC Vintage: Antoinette Vintage about Being the First Store on the Block
October 11, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Antoinette Vintage was the first vintage shop to open on Grand street in Williamsburg eleven years ago, and has operated as both a vintage retailer and indie designer store with a heavily Japanese-inspired curation ever since. As a result, Antoinette has become a cultural Japanese guidebook staple, appearing in magazines like Fudge and SOEN, and bringing the ‘burg vintage scene to a much wider audience since day one. With its unassuming facade— save the freshly-laundered cotton dresses hanging to dry on the front door jam— and the quaint white sign above, you might not know it was there… that is unless you read cool, in-the-know magazines like this one.
Lexi inherited her love of vintage from her mother, and started her store exclusively with her mother’s collection of clothing. Whether that’s Kimonos made from deadstock materials, old Hawaiian dad shirts, hibiscus-print dresses or all of those things layered on top of one another to create a look a la Brownstone Cowboys (see below), you can’t go into the intimate shop and not come out without something covered in a fun print or a pair of oversized clip-on earrings. Much like the strangely-shaped bathroom door disguised in floral wallpaper that’s concealed in the dressing rooms, it’s not hard to think of Antoinette as a hidden treasure.
How did you wind up in the realm of fashion / vintage?
A: My mom was in fashion in New York in the fifties. She worked at Lily Dache (who was a well known milliner) and she collected all sorts of items which are now considered vintage. When I opened in 2011 I basically opened with her collection, with enough for the whole store. She had collected all of these clothes from my grandmother and siblings, and just hoarded them.
What would you consider to be your first job/experience that later led to opening Antoinette?
A: I lived in England in the year 2000 - those were my electronic days of wearing Jenkos. I was doing an internship at Kookai in Kensington and I remember being a big fan of Miss Sixty, you know with the flared jeans - it’s like Forever 21. Well more like Penny’s, which is pretty much just H&M now.
How do you choose between having a little bit of everything or is it better to have a very curated collection of available clothing?
A: I follow trends pretty seriously because I love fashion and its cycle so I try to buy pieces that are relevant. For example there’s the nineties /Y2K movement (that’s super popular now), so I've been buying hard specifically for those two decades.
What does it mean to you being the first vintage store on your block to, now, more than a decade later when ‘vintage shopping’ has really become a thing and subsequently put Williamsburg on the fashion map?
A: It means a lot to me personally having taken a chance with opening Antoinette in 2011 with hardly any foot traffic on my block, but I had a strong intuitive feeling that it would (one day) make sense. As far as Williamsburg goes it has exploded far beyond what I ever anticipated - for heaven’s sake we have an Apple & Whole Foods in a once edgy neighborhood.
Where do you shop? Just a fun thing I always like to ask.
A: Other Vintage stores in my neighborhood and of course Instagram.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
A: I really don't think much about it since it makes sense to me - If you know you know.
Are there any more obscure vintage brands you know of that you wish people would fall in love with? You’ve spent a good deal of your life seemingly surrounded by fashion, and have a more in-depth knowledge of what fashion then and now - more than just mainstream brands.
A: Some of my favorite labels/brands are "All that Jazz", Eileen Fisher, Ann Taylor...I could go on.
Did you have any specific clientele in mind when you opened Antoinette?
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