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Maynard business owner sells vintage clothing for women online - Milford Daily News

bedosgouglia Nisan 07, 2021

Maynard business owner sells vintage clothing for women online - Milford Daily News

Maynard business owner sells vintage clothing for women online - Milford Daily News

Posted: 14 Dec 2019 06:42 AM PST

Growing a customer base has been one of Shannon Letizi's biggest challenges. Her business is profitable, but she is not yet earning enough to make a living. "That is a goal," she said. "I don't see it as a hobby or as a side gig or a way for me to have a little extra cash."

MAYNARD — Searching for just the right piece of clothing can take time and patience.

And sometimes, that perfect piece is in the most unlikely place.

So when Shannon Letizi spotted a 1960s Valentino silk house dress hanging on the Halloween rack of a thrift store, she knew she had found something special.

"It was very flamboyant," she said.

For those who don't know, Valentino is a high-end Italian designer.

Letizi put the dress up for sale on her online vintage clothing store We, McGee.

The dress was purchased by the fabric maker in Milan who wanted it for its archives, Letizi said.

"So that was really exciting for me not only for the find – because it was a really special thing to find – but also just because it ended up going to such a great customer," Letizi said.

Letizi's love of vintage clothing began when she was a teenager. Her mother had some vintage clothing, and for Letizi it was a way to express herself and be a little different.

"I realized there was a lot of fun to be had from vintage," she said, recalling she would wear a Boy Scout shirt with all the patches to school or a Victorian blouse "that had really big sleeves. I liked the unique part of it."

That still resonates with her today, but she also believes there are quality issues - vintage items are often higher quality than everyday fashion - and social and environmental aspects to wearing vintage clothing.

"The fashion industry has a negative environmental impact and sometimes a negative social impact. Vintage helps you avoid that to a certain extent, and that's important to me," Letizi said.

She began selling vintage clothing after college as a way to clean out her closet.

We, McGee was named for her grandmother, whose last name was McGee, and "the connection that vintage clothing creates between generations and between people."

Five years ago, she decided to give it a go full time. When her daughter, now 2, was born, she put the business on the back burner. But more recently, she began devoting more attention to We, McGee. Her inventory grew so quickly that in August she leased a studio space in Maynard to keep her stock.

"I hope the new space will bring new opportunities for continued growth," she said.

The online store features women's items, mostly clothing, with some accessories, bags, shoes, scarves and jewelry.

"I love it all," she said. "In a perfect world, if I had the time, I would sell a little bit of everything." 

Up and running

Much of Letizi's time is spent combing through thrift stores, flea markets, antique malls and estate sales. She finds occasional pieces at online auctions, and road trips to visit family in Maine have also turned up treasures.

"I'm always looking," she said.

After she buys a piece of clothing, she washes it, mends it if necessary and generally makes sure it is in wearable condition.

"A customer that buys something from me knows she is buying something that is going to hold up and smell OK and not be covered in animal fur," Letizi said.

Increasing clientele

Growing a customer base has been one of her biggest challenges. Her business is profitable, but she is not yet earning enough to make a living.

"That is a goal," she said. "I don't see it as a hobby or as a side gig or a way for me to have a little extra cash."

Early on, she knew she had to increase her social media presence.

"I really was not social media-savvy as far as marketing was concerned," she said.

She has found that Instagram, a photo and video-sharing social networking service, was the best way to reach customers.

"The more visibility you have on social media, the more people go to your shop to shop for things," Letizi said. "About 30% of my business is driven through Instagram," Letizi said. "The rest comes from Etsy."

There's a big audience for vintage clothing, she said. There are people who like to wear vintage pieces and the movie and film industry that will purchase vintage items for productions.

"A lot of women like dressing (in) a little more retro-style," said Letizi. Then there are customers who "are mixing vintage into their regular wardrobe," she said.

She would like to see more women wearing vintage clothing.

"I think everyone in a perfect world, even if not every piece of your wardrobe is vintage, even if 20% of it was, you'd be keeping that much more clothing out of landfills," Letizi said.

Closette clothing boutique turning heads in Portsmouth - Foster's Daily Democrat

Posted: 13 Dec 2019 11:19 AM PST

PORTSMOUTH — You might not have noticed the quaint boutique tucked away on the second floor of the 1800s Federal style building at 72A Congress St., above Market Square News.

Once you visit Closette, you won't forget the elegantly decorated space brimming with vintage and modern clothing, shoes and accessories. Having opened in August, Closette is grabbing the attention of locals and visitors alike.

David Ronka and Sonia had been looking for the right place to become home to a clothing boutique for Sonia and studio/art gallery for David, a local artist.

"We wanted to create a place where anyone can find something unique and affordable and which also has exclusive, one-of-a-kind pieces that you won't find anywhere else," they stated.

They spent the summer building out the space, curating inventory and starting a business. Every aspect of the boutique offers a visual feast that evokes elegance, sophistication and playfulness. The exposed brick interior, high ceilings and airy loft provide a fitting setting for pieces representing every decade from the 1920s, as well as designer labels like Emporio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and more.

Sonia's take on vintage clothing is familiar to those sensitive to sustainability.

"Vintage clothing can last decades because of the high-quality materials, workmanship and attention to detail," she said. "Vintage is timeless and is a green alternative to the built-in obsolescence of current fashion. I love the energetic exchange that happens when someone breathes new life into a piece that's been hidden for years."

One of the most frequent questions they get is, "Where does all of this inventory come from?" Consignment makes up a portion of the inventory. David and Sonia also take their days off to scour their other sources – clothing markets, estate sales and other distribution networks.

"I love the treasure hunt – seeking out one-of-a-kind pieces that will never go out of style," Sonia said.

Sonia believes shopping vintage is a great way to give voice to your creativity and explore your personality.

"Breaking out of the fashion industry's definition of style can be freeing," she said.

At Closette, she helps customers discover their own style preferences.

"Dressing in vintage allows you to define your own look," she said. "Why not mix a 50s beaded top with 90s denim jeans, 80s boots and a Chanel clutch? But you don't have to start with complete outfits. You can simply add a 20s necklace or 60s belt to your existing wardrobe and expand from there."

Closette is a find for those who appreciate this eclectic approach to an individualized style. The diversity of pieces that make up the inventory is astounding.

"Mixing and matching provides endless possibilities for expressing yourself," Sonia said.

David, who manages the business side of Closette, has had a diverse career as a civil engineer, naval officer, education consultant, executive director, author and artist.

"I've tried my hand at a lot of things in my career, but running a brick and mortar small business is new for me," he said. "I love the direct cause and effect that comes with a small business – tweaking things and seeing how it impacts sales and customer satisfaction.

"We're very grateful for this historic space and the community that surrounds us. We can't wait to see what unfolds in the months and years to come."

Check out Closette and see for yourself. Closette's hours are Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 6 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can find Closette online at www.closetteboutique.com and follow @closetteboutique on Facebook and Instagram.

Vintage clothes turned into colorful textile art at Le Petit - The Missoulian

Posted: 12 Dec 2019 04:09 PM PST

The fliers for Hana Kasm's First Friday art exhibition didn't provide much info: just the location (Le Petit), the show's name ("Barnacle"), and an image: A colorful box protruding with alien-seeming appendages, resembling sleeve art for a psychedelic rock album.

It turns out to be Kasm's first public showing of work that she's been making for several years now, despite having made so much that she's running out of room to store it all.

After decades of professional sewing, and time running a vintage clothing store in Olympia, Washington, Kasm had a realization.

"I had an epiphany one night, alone. That sewing didn't have to be so utilitarian: curtains, clothing, right. It could be anything I wanted it to. And once I took that lid off, that's when this stuff started coming together," she said.

The resulting sculptures include lip-shaped wall pieces and standalone cubes, constructed from fabrics she's collected over the years at thrift stores and estate sales. What went into some of these, like a tower of cubes reaching about 9.5 feet toward the coffee shop's ceiling, or a smaller "candybox" that stands on four legs? African waxprint, kimono fabric (cotton and silk), vintage scarves, Chinese brocade silk, part of a vintage dress.

She does hesitate sometimes when cutting up these finds, often choosing clothing with quality fabric but dated styles.

"The fabric's amazing, but no one's probably going to put it on," she said.

The surface of the candy boxes are covered with sea anemone-like tentacles, although they're colorful but not at all threatening. (Kasm said that kids respond immediately to the art.)

The free-standing rectangular pieces are her focus now, since those rigid shapes contradict people's expectations.

"When people think of textile art they often think of woolly, nubby, organic stuff," she said.
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