Dealers and archivists from around the world are donating their profits in a #VTG4BLM fundraiser
After the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer, the subsequent protests across the US and beyond have us all opening our purses to donate to causes in support of Black Lives Matter. As major brands struggle to get their politics in line, it’s been indie companies that are leading the way when it comes to donations and charity initiatives.
Paris’s Nina Gabbana Vintage is one of them. The archivist – who specialises in iconic 90s and 00s pieces – has rallied a group of vintage sellers for a charity sale in aid of the movement.
“I wanted to help, but felt like donating by myself wasn’t enough,” says founder Marie. “So I decided to use my platform and business to help raise more money for the cause, and I thought other sellers would want to do the same.” She shared an Instagram story about wanting to do a charity sale – and quicker than expected, others joined in.
From Dazed fave (and Westwood corset aficionados) Pechuga Vintage, to Brick Lane’s Serotonin, and archive revivalists Byronesque, the sellers donating their profits represent a truly global list.
“Each seller is located in a different part of the world so it’s great to see that this initiative is global,” says Marie. “@_moren_a is in New Zealand, Steve from @housewnyc is in New York, Johnny from @pechuga_vintage is in LA, and I’m in Paris. There’s also Will from @zerocoolarchive and Jenny from @iconic_archive_shop who are in the UK.”
Starting today, the participating stores will each put up 1-8 pieces for sale – they will be advertised on sellers’ own pages, and with the #VTG4BLM hashtag. “Most of us are selling archive designers from the 90s and 2000s, but there will also be more recent items and classic vintage mixed to it,” Marie says. “I’ve seen some of the sellers’ selections already, and I can say that it’s really good!”
As for the charities benefitting, each seller is free to donate to the organisations of their choice: “the only rule being that it has to be related to the Black Lives Matter movement.” Marie will donate to The Okra Project (@theokraproject), BlackWomen’s Blueprint (@blackwomensblueprint), Equal Justice Initiative (@eji_org), and La Vérité Pour Adama Traoré (@laveritepouradama). From now on, she will also have a permanent section of her website with items sold for charity.
To see – and shop – the selection, follow the #VTG4BLM hashtag on Instagram.