Crafting Timeless Threads!
Creating a reproduction vintage piece of clothing is definitely not something that happens overnight—it’s a process with a lot of steps. From researching historical garments to sourcing materials and making sure everything is as close to the original as possible, it takes time and attention. And while it’s so much fun to create a vintage-inspired piece, there’s more involved than people might realize before it’s ready to be sold!
RESEARCH & HISTORICAL REFERENCE
The first step is getting into the fashion of the era you want to recreate. Thankfully, we’re already deep into vintage fashion, so this part comes naturally! We study everything—styles, fabrics, shapes, you name it. It’s honestly a lot of fun! Whenever we can, we check out real vintage garments, either by sourcing them or pulling from our own collection. We take notes on how they were made, what fabrics were used, and the little details like buttons, zippers, and trims. We also dig into fashion archives, old magazines, books, and even social media for more inspiration and info.
FABRIC & MATERIAL SELECTION
Vintage clothing was usually made from natural materials like cotton, silk, wool, and linen, or blends that were popular at the time. These fabrics often have a really distinct feel to them, so we get super picky about fabric quality, weave, and colour. We try to stick as close as possible to the materials used back then. Once we’ve gathered all our references, we create a pattern based on the original garment or use historical measurements. Sometimes we even find original vintage patterns online or in antique shops. And, since modern body shapes are a bit different, we make sure to adjust the pattern to fit well while still keeping that vintage silhouette.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
Vintage clothes are known for their high-quality finishes, so we pay close attention to things like linings, seams, and closures (think vintage zippers, buttons, or hooks). Handmade vintage items often have this “crafted” feel, with visible stitches and that one-of-a-kind look. We also track down authentic vintage-style buttons or closures, like pearl or bakelite buttons, which were super popular back in the day.
CREATING A PROTOTYPE
Once we have the pattern, we make a sample to test the fit and look. Vintage pieces tend to fit differently from modern styles, so testing is really important. We want to make sure the garment is both functional and comfortable for today’s world.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Once the garment is mostly done, we add those final touches—like hand-finishing the hems, adding labels (sometimes designed to look vintage), and including any decorative elements. After that, we carefully inspect everything for flaws, like uneven stitching, missing details, or fabric imperfections. We want to make sure the garment meets high standards and matches the quality of the originals. We usually try the piece on ourselves or on a model to see how it moves and feels. If anything needs a little tweak, we make it, but we always keep the vintage vibe intact while making sure it’s practical for modern life.
PRODUCTION
Finally! After the prototype gets the thumbs-up, we move to production and the pattern is graded for the different sizes we’ll offer.
MARKETING & SELLING
Once everything is ready, we take high-quality photos from all angles, showing off those beautiful vintage details. We’ll style it with other clothing and create a gorgeous outfit to help inspire our customers. Then, we list it on our website, making sure to share the history behind the garment. We also name each piece, usually inspired by historical icons.
By following all these steps, we can create a reproduction vintage piece that captures the spirit of the past while being comfortable and wearable for today’s world.
