Stanford grad Yen Kuok converted her fondness for online shopping into a full-time business, with the launch of Guiltless.com in 2016. In this digital emporium, stylish women can buy and sell pre-loved fashion, all of which is curated with Kuok’s impressive eye. It’s no surprise then, that Kuok is a vintage magpie who loves finding rare and beautiful pieces that have out-lasted much of today’s fast fashion.
While she is more likely to be seen gracing our social pages in the latest sartorial selects, Kuok simply can’t resist the allure of older pieces, so read on to find out where she shops for the best finds, and why she can’t help but be sentimental about her finds.
What are your fave vintage brands?
I’ve always been partial to Lanvin since my dad started making his early-day suits there in the 1950s (truly vintage!). Other brands beloved by vintage vultures include Yves Saint Laurent, Paco Rabanne, Pierre Balmain, Nina Ricci, Givenchy… and of course you have the Chanels and Christian Diors! I heard Japanese designers like Junya Watanabe and Comme des Garçons are also having their vintage moment.
Where around the globe have you found great vintage ensembles?
There’s a really cute vintage store walking-distance from where my aunt in Milan lives, although I can’t remember the name of it for the life of me! I always make it a point to visit when I’m in town. Tokyo is also the absolute pinnacle for all branded vintage; there are giant chains like Brand Off and Rag tAG, but also small indie stores in and around Shinjuku, Harajuku and Daikanyama.
What websites would you recommend for those who want to shop vintage online?
Firstly, it’s important to make a distinction between vintage and second-hand. Vintage refers to an item that is at least 20 years old (so the cut-off would be the 1990s if we’re talking 2018!), so technically all vintage items are second-hand, but things that are second-hand might not be vintage (yet) especially if they were from just a few seasons ago. For vintage shopping, I’d strongly recommend Shrimptoncouture.com and decadesinc.com.
What’s a vintage accessory you’ll always sport?
My vintage Bulgari Tri-color Tubogas Serpenti Watch – I wear this favourite watch of mine almost every day. Growing up, I was always envious of my sister’s wrist game because she always had this on. Being born in the year of the snake, I had a penchant for its serpent-esque coiled detailing and I loved the fact that it doubled as an arm bangle, it combined all three of my favourite metals – rose, white and yellow gold. So, for my 17th birthday, my mother and sister surprised me by tracking down the exact same model at an auction house! This vintage style, with a round dial, is actually pretty hard to come by now since the entire line has been updated with snakehead-shape dials. My sister and I prefer the classic timeless version of its modern and more “literal” rendition. In fact, I like it so much that I snapped up the second one when I found it at another auction house a few years back… in case I ever lose the original one, God forbid. By the way, Guiltless also has a single-coil version of this watch!
As someone who is photographed at every event, rarely do you repeat outfits – but do you have any sentimental pieces?
Clothes definitely have sentimental value for me. I remember my first expensive item of clothing was a Viktor & Rolf overcoat from my brother when I was 14 or 15 – it still fits, so till this day you’ll find me sporting it during winter. There are also some classic fur and baby cashmere pieces I bought with my dad at Loro Piana that I see myself wearing probably forever. Most recently, I had a few latex dresses made at the Atsuko Kudo atelier in London. My boyfriend and I braved the winter cold and hiked all the way to their Holloway Road store and I remember the look on his face when he found out the brand worked exclusively with latex. We spent the entire afternoon there trying on pieces and getting fitted, bless him for being so patient!
Who do you enjoy following for their vintage style?
There’s not any one person who I refer to for their vintage style, I like browsing fashion photography and street style in general, and of course get excited when people channel their inner vintage goddess, like on the red carpet.
Having said that though, Natalie Joos is a Belgian American stylist who launched the ultimate resource for vintage aficionados online, Tales of Endearment, so she’s quite an authority in the field!
Who are your 50s and 60s and 70s style icons?
Grace Kelly, Jane Birkin. Christie’s in London auctioned part of Audrey Hepburn’s estate back in September, including a few iconic vintage pieces from Givenchy, Burberry and others. Each averaging about GBP 5000. So cool!
Tell us about your favourite vintage pieces that we can find on guiltless.com?
- Louis Vuitton luggage/ suitcases – super stylish home décor piece, especially when you stack a few!
- Louis Vuitton French World Cup football 1998 – teleports me back to the time I used to watch football matches on TV with my papa (he doesn’t watch much anymore)
- Vintage Chanel bags and clothing – interesting rumor: a friend from the mainland once told me that certain nouveau-riche girls would intentionally buy vintage Chanels so they could pretend the bags were passed down from their grandmothers and brag that they’ve “had money in their family for decades”
- Another collectors’ keepsake that I LOVE but isn’t quite considered vintage yet – Dolce & Gabbana limited-edition dolls
The post Vintage Shopping with Yen Kuok appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.