The Women Dressing New York: Stories from Behind the Counter
The environment is warmly welcoming and purposeful - unapologetically women-run. A long rack of vintage clothes stretches across the white brick wall, organized by silhouette and shade. Mixed metal jewelry and sardine hair clips are intentionally spilled on the nearby table. The two young women behind the counter greeted each customer like an old friend, encapsulating the pure essence of New York - aspirations fueled through community.
Among women-led spaces is Awoke Vintage. Just like the vast history of the city, women who own and know fashion like the back of their hands, run artistic expression through vintage pieces found at their own stores. Awoke Vintage is based in Brooklyn and has a total of four locations across New York. They started across the world in Australia but moved to Brooklyn to do pop-up events in 2012. The store gained popularity and began their next adventure of their first storefront. They combine curated vintage attire, Brooklyn-based small brand pieces and community-based events held through collaborations and content shoots.
The heart of Awoke Vintage is not just the compilation of garments, it’s the women who are a part of running it. Two workers, Lilly and Sense, shared stories of their journey and how fashion and creative expression runs through their veins. They each have a clear love for their place of work because of the female-centered society within the store. Sense and Lilly expressed how Awoke Vintage is known for their lived-in Levi’s, where their expertise advises customers to what is perfectly fit for them. Their reputable character has drawn in celebrities such as Robert Pattinson, Jenna Ortega, Sabrina Carpenter, and more to find their perfect pair at Awoke Vintage.
Throughout conversation, they mentioned that the owners go to Italy a few times per year to hand-pick vintage items that eventually fall into the laps of their stores. With four locations to rotate through, Sense and Lilly admit that their job never gets boring.Working across stores allows them to see all the dreamy pieces and have to resist temptation to wear their favorite pieces everyday. “I wear them to the bone,” Lilly says wide-eyed, nodding her head. Classically tailored elevated basics, with a side of your fun aunt's closet in the early 2000’s; the range of clothing adheres to New York’s rustle and bustle.
Awoke Vintage is one curated store in the broad eco-system of the city. New York is recognized to be the fashion capital of America and it shows, especially during New York Fashion Week. Each person running through the city has an identity within their clothes which inspires how their day will go. But who influences these New Yorkers, and tourists, in everyday fashion? Well, women of course. In a world dominated by major fashion corporations and never-ending micro-trends, these matriarchal vintage collections offer the city something deliberately conscious to notice the impact of ethics in the industry.
Across New York similar spaces do similar things to shape the city’s wardrobe. The women-owned and run stores do not limit themselves. Awoke Vintage shares more women-owned vintage spots to shop in New York including Tired Thrift, Bedford Thrift, Les Miss, Rogue, The Niche Shop, Funny Pretty Nice, and more. These vintage stores thrive off of the women behind the scenes who flourish through their surroundings of expression, and individuality, while constructing the ideas of each. These safe spaces are more than just stores; they are living museums of women’s influence. In the ever-moving style of New York fashion, it is the women who continue to define what the city looks like, stitch by stitch.
Written by: Jenna Gamache
Cover Design by: Jenna Gamache
