Picks byElias Matso
Freelance costume designer and fashion student at Parsons School of Design, currently interning at Tiffany & Co. Originally from Maine but is based in ABC city in NYC, and enjoys upcycling, platform shoes, and showtunes.
This place is a true East Village signature. It’s been around for 40 years and has been run by the iconic Delanee Koppersmith. It’s a tiny store but it’s packed from floor to ceiling with literal heaps of vintage goodies. Delanee has one of the best collections of vintage accessories in New York and she loves to chat about each item at length which is my favorite part about visiting Cobblestones. Popping in always cheers me right up.
Entering Marlene Wetherell's shop is like stepping into a dream. Marlene’s archive at New York Showplace (which is an adventure in itself) feels like going to a free museum. I’m sure many people go there to shop, and maybe someday I will, but for now I just oggle the off-the-runway, never-worn Tom Ford for Gucci pieces and soak in the enormous collection of 60s/70s YSL that this shop is known for. When it comes to luxury vintage, Marlene’s is pretty unmatched and the fashion world knows it.
David Owen’s shop in the LES is a treasure trove. It’s my favorite place to get men's pieces and it has yielded some of the best disco shirts that I own. David is super friendly and knowledgeable and always hypes you up when you emerge from the fitting room. Also, his collection of 40s and 50s ties is mind boggling, and includes a few designed by Salvadore Dali.
Chelsea Flea is a must for any NYC vintage shopping list. The vendors are incredibly friendly and the selection is the perfect balance of impressive but manageable. After a while you get to know the vendors and it’s fun to catch up. You also tend to run into old friends or make some new ones, or both. Vendors are usually pretty open to bargaining, and they always know the full provenance of their pieces, so you feel like you’re walking away with an education as well as a garment.