In this special issue of AVANT, over 50 collectors, dealers, historians, and lifelong enthusiasts share their personal connection to vintage clothing–the stories behind the fabric, the memories stitched into seams, the thrill of the hunt, and the quiet power of garments worn before us.
Each conversation is a window into a world where clothing is more than just style: it’s history, identity, rebellion, craftsmanship, emotion.
From dusty thrift shops to private archives, from rural France to the backstreets of Tokyo, these voices tell us why vintage matters. Why a faded chore jacket can feel like an heirloom. Why a pair of boots can hold a decade of someone else’s life. Why the past, worn well, still has something urgent to say. Why the people, also, has something to say about it.
Because, in the end, it’s all about people. Clothes may be the core, sure. But we’re the ones who carry them forward. We are the storytellers, the keepers, the stewards.
So, for this special issue, AVANT handed the mic to the voices from the vintage world. Each one was invited to share their stories, their memories, and their passion. To pass the flame.
