The Tamesis
The team arrived first. Even before the Vogue Vintage Market’s VIP hours began, a line of well-dressed people formed outside Roll & Hill: vintage enthusiasts had already taken seats before the market officially opened at noon.
Inside, Doha Cat, FashionApril’s cover star and host of the day immediately set the tone. Doja, who walked through the space with co-stars Emma Chamberlain and Paloma Elsesser, wore a look straight out of the Yves Saint Laurent orbit of the 1980s, or as she put it when she stopped to pose, “It gives a YSL look even though it’s not quite YSL.” Vintage style.” It’s all sculpted shoulders, black leather, electric blue gloves, a matching clutch, and a white straw felt hat.
Doja doesn’t just host, she also does the shopping. With her arms full, she balanced a growing collection of brooches (two were new purchases), a pair of red Gucci mules, and enough other items that a friend eventually stepped in to help carry them.
In fact, Vintage Market’s merchandise is curated by Chamberlain, Elsesser, Liana Satenstein and Amy Astley, and includes items from Q– There’s something for everyone, and the three-story space is buzzing with activity within minutes of the sale. The shelves of fashion archives from eBay (and elsewhere) don’t stay full for long. The pieces in Anna Wintour’s wardrobe are known for their unique silhouettes, attracting a steady crowd; Fashion Editors are almost unanimous in favoring the impeccably tailored Charvet men’s shirt, an understated staple that signals true fashion fluidity. Nearby, Tab Vintage’s Alexis Novak donned a 1953 Madame Grès gown—an almost surreal moment where fashion history meets today’s obsessions, and a reminder that even the most seasoned vintage dealers are ready to shop.
Kate Barton also keeps a close eye on the event, with her handbags prominently displayed on the main floor. Watching shoppers mill around, consider and make decisions, she didn’t have to wait long to see someone find a new home.
Chamberlain also contributed his own work to the sale, his outfits based less on brand and more on aesthetics. “I pick my clothes strictly to set the mood, I don’t care about anything else,” she says of her cropped double-breasted tweed Sandro jacket (cut short enough to reveal extended leather gloves), paired with simple Double RL denim and a flattering tagless tote lined with a built-in mirror.
Elsesser, meanwhile, wore a Tom Ford-era Gucci knit with a built-in fur vest, a sculptural skirt by Junya Watanabe and Chanel boots (“by Karl,” she clarified). “I’m a weird hat junkie — if you don’t buy it, I will,” she warned one shopper, who was eyeing a sleek black Miu Miu hat decorated with three-dimensional florals that evoked a scene from Esther Williams. However, what Elsesser ended up walking away with was a pair of black Prada briefs and a gray vest from Martin Margiela’s late 1990s “flat” collection. “I have this collection of flats from Margiela,” she said.
Beyond the shelf, Astley’s corner extended the search home. There, an Elsa Peretti bowl from Tiffany & Co. sits side by side with gleaming candy-colored Murano glassware. At one point, Elsesser stopped in the middle of the store and was delighted by a silver-scaled fish that revealed itself to be a corkscrew. “I was fascinated,” she said.
from Q One of the editorial’s standout pieces—a patent black jacket worn by Raf Simons during his tenure at CALVIN KLEIN 205W39NYC—sold out almost immediately. But as the shelves begin to thin, newer items creep into their place, keeping the rhythm intact.
By early afternoon, it was clear: In the Vogue vintage market, the past doesn’t linger, it circulates. 100% of net proceeds will be donated to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and NewYork-Presbyterian Youth Mental Health Center. Each piece carries not only history but also meaning.
Thanks to eBay, Vogue’s official vintage and pre-owned partner.
