I met Will from Koenji Vintage quite some time ago, most prominently during my time at South Melbourne Market. Having already been an avid vintage and second-hand clothing lover, it didn’t take long for me to visit his store.
However, it wasn’t this alone that had me interested in Will and his business. It was the simple fact that Will, when passing through the area of SO:ME Space (to I can only presume was on the way to the restroom) stopped by my newly opened pop-up to say, “hello”. Now, for those of you who have never run a shop, pop-up or small business, most of the time you are working by yourself, so the luxury of toilet breaks, smoko and even stopping for lunch are exactly that…a luxury. This was no exception for Will. And yet here he was taking the time to welcome me to the market; a simple gesture that went a long way.
Fast forward three years and I am in need of some super cool clothes to style my latest collection, 2 Hearts; an androgynous collection of jewellery celebrating both she and him.
Now, not only am I a fan of pre-loved clothing (do I even need to list the many reasons why?!) but I am also an advocate in supporting fellow small business owners, so naturally Koenji Vintage was my one-stop-shop (the only problem now was making sure I didn't leave the store completely empty).
But rather than me dribble on about my love of Koenji Vintage, I thought who better to tell you about the brand, than the owner himself, Will.
How would you sum up Koenji Vintage?
Our store offers a mixture of women's and men's vintage garments complemented by fun colourful accessories.
What is the origin of your clothing?
The garments we source are predominantly of Japanese origin, however, we also source a variety of vintage denim and sportswear of American origins.
How would you describe your clothes?
Our garments are bold, colourful and full of print. Everything is unique, carefully handpicked and cleaned for your convenience. We offer anything from dresses to nylon spray jackets and vintage handmade kimono. Perfect for those looking to make a statement with their outfits.
Why vintage?
For the planet, and because it's exciting to find/rescue something extra special and one-of-a-kind.
Cool facts about Koenji Vintage/things people would want to know or should know about it
We take extra steps to source near-perfect garments including cleaning and mending each garment.
What's in store for Koenji Vintage?
Recently we have been working on our very own label that will be focused on outerwear and accessories made from recycled fabrics and inspired by traditional Japanese textiles. Our focus has been to replicate the classic noragi jacket (traditional workwear) with boro (a class of Japanese textiles that have been mended or patched together).
Ohhhh, tell us more...
For now, it will carry the same name as our store, Koenji Vintage. We have already started releasing some of our early samples to customers who have previously registered their interests, but we expect that the first pieces will be available to the public in early April.
If you'd like to be kept in the loop with updates, follow @koenjivintage on Instagram
Lastly, how can people shop for your clothing?
You can shop with us in person, Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday 8 am - 4 pm and Friday 8 am - 5 pm at:
Stall 119 (Aisle G),
South Melbourne Market,
South Melbourne VIC 3205
