Entrepreneur Virginie Lessard wants to take her thrift store Ginie Vintage to another level. The entrepreneur, who already made minor repairs on clothing before reselling them in the store, wants to push the value of second-hand clothing further by developing a clothing collection made from recycled vintage fabrics.
“I would like to start with fabrics that really date from the 50s to the 80s on which we find interesting patterns, in varied styles. They are also good quality fabrics. The idea is therefore to bring the elegance of the vintage years and these motifs from the period up to date. I’m thinking of starting with a skirt pattern, a dress pattern, a bag pattern and probably a top too. The objective would be to make the models in different fabrics,” explains Virginie Lessard, her eyes sparkling.
“I know I want to create something different by merging elements from different decades,” she adds. For example, I might use an 80s fabric, but do a 50s cut. I want it to be colorful too! We don’t see enough colors in fashion these days. »
It is also part of the vision of eco-responsible fashion that Virginie Lessard advocates.
“Before, we paid attention to our clothes and I think we do it less in the era of fast fashion. There, you buy a cheap piece of clothing, you wash it once and it’s finished, it’s no longer beautiful. They are made to be washed, worn and thrown away. It’s important for me to change this mentality, she says. We need to return more to this reflex of paying attention to the things we have and carrying them in different ways to be able to use them and carry them forward. That’s a bit of what I’m trying to convey, to bring back an eco-responsible side to fashion. »
“I want to save these period clothes which may still be lying in boxes or which are about to be thrown away because an aging person is going to live in a residence or they have died” , she continues, inviting people who still have vintage clothing at home to contact her.
To carry out this project, Virginie Lessard plans to hire seamstresses, because although the entrepreneur is a professional in vintage style, she does not feel professional enough in terms of sewing to obtain the quality she has in mind.
At press time, 66% of the $7,900 target had been reached. However, to be able to receive the money from the crowdfunding campaign, the objective must be achieved. “As my project is eco-responsible, if I manage to achieve my objective, it will be doubled by RECYC-QUÉBEC via the Less is + Fund,” notes Virginie Lessard. That’s an ambitious amount for a single entrepreneur, but it’s not much to develop a clothing collection and hire a seamstress. »
A growing customer base
Ginie Vintage continues to evolve since opening the store on Notre-Dame Center Street two years ago. “I have a fairly large clientele ranging from the lady who discovers us to the vintage clothing lover to theater groups who come to rent clothes. I also notice that there are a lot of people from the LGBTQ+ community who come to the store,” underlines the entrepreneur.
The latter will also soon launch a vintage photography service for women wishing to showcase themselves while transporting themselves to another era. This is also how Virginie Lessard discovered the whole world of vintage clothing and pin-ups.
“When I experienced it, I found myself beautiful thanks to the way I was highlighted by the people who did my hair and makeup and the clothes that were lent to me,” she remembers. “I want to bring that to women here too. It’s to have a positive experience where you are highlighted. The photoshoot will also be directed.”
To support Ginie Vintage’s crowdfunding campaign until July 5: https://laruchequebec.com/fr/projets/ginie-vintage
