PICK OF THE MIX

From cities to eras, vendors choose their favorites

cHEN

E-shop, 回首已是百年身 (“When You Look Back, 100 Years Have Already Passed”), Zhongshan, Guangdong

Item: “This qipao (pictured top right) is representative of what I love about vintage. It looks simple, but the workmanship is extremely complex.”

Wish list: “A vinyl record. I was walking through an antique market and heard it playing, but by the time circled back, the stall owner said it had been sold. I can still remember the melody today.”

LIU kE

Mega Vintage, Beijing

City: Los Angeles

Item: “I like clothes related to music history—Hawaiian shirts, bowling shoes, and souvenir band jackets from the 1950s, made with really good quality material and lots of embroidery.”

Era: “The 1950s. It was a very prosperous era for the American economy; they produced lots of music and movies, and automobile culture.”

Wish list: “Lately, I’ve been into the chimayo, New Mexican wool vests of a distinctive diamond pattern. In the 1930s and 40s they came out with jackets using a cashmere blend, which I’d love to get my hands on, but they’re rare and very expensive.”

SONG ZIHANG (“XIAOYE”)

That Vintage Shop, Chengdu

City: Paris

Item: “At the Hammersmith Fair in London, I bought a leather bag from the Victorian era. There was still a photograph of the original owner inside, from 100 years ago; now we use it on our social media pages.”

Era: “For women’s clothing, the 1950s. The era I’d personally love to revisit is the 1970s. I’m also a big fan of men’s tweeds.”

Wish list: “If I ever see a cape in a European vintage shop, I’ll buy it, and I won’t even look at the price.”

A-MAI

Qing Yuan Vintage Shop,

Guangzhou

Era: “I like to mix and match clothing from different eras to create a truly unique look. In the store, we tend to have mostly items from Europe, from the 1960s to 70s, things that are a bit funky.”

Wish list: “I have a soft spot for hand-embroidered beaded clothes—but only to collect, not to sell.”