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Why Vintage Clothing is Fashion’s New (Again) Favorite
Words by Anh-Minh Le
Photos by Kelsey Wisdom
Andrew Chugg was scrolling through Craigslist at 3 in the morning when he came across a listing for t-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets from a 1980s Bruce Springsteen tour. He soon arranged to meet with the seller. “Turns out, she was a roadie for Bruce for many years,” Andrew recounts. “It was so fun to talk to her for an hour or so and just hear stories from the road.”
For people in the vintage clothing world—whether they’re shoppers or store owners like Andrew and his wife, Jordan—the discovery process is a big part of the appeal. “Being able to attach a story to a piece of clothing makes it even more valuable,” she says. “It’s a little bit of history that people take out the door with them.” The Chuggs opened Wally’s in May in Carmel. Named after their rescue dog, it specializes in meticulously curated vintage men’s apparel, accessories and shoes.
While the couple has their share of stories, customers have no shortage of their own tales, too. In September, musician André 3000, who was performing in Big Sur, picked up three jackets at Wally’s. “He was extremely kind and spoke with me for a long time about music and clothes,” Andrew says. “He really recognized that each piece was unique and had its own story and historical significance, no matter the price."
“Being able to attach a story to a piece of clothing makes it even more valuable.”
<div class="quote-attribute">Jordan Chugg</div>
While the Monterey Peninsula has long been a destination for antiques enthusiasts, the appreciation for the old and rare is increasingly extending to closets—in line with a national trend. A report by resale company ThredUp showed that in 2023, the U.S. secondhand clothing market reached $43 billion, an 11% jump from the previous year. In downtown Carmel, relative newcomers Wally’s and C Carmel have joined Foxy Couture, which has had a storefront for a dozen years. In nearby Pacific Grove, Wear Vintage debuted this past spring.
Cris Rosenbaum—whose San Francisco store, Cris Consignment, has been around for nearly four decades—opened C Carmel last year. Her daughter moved to Carmel Valley seven years ago and suggested a second outpost. For Rosenbaum, styling is a favorite activity. “You can take a jacket from many seasons ago, add in a newer piece, and it looks of the moment,” says the Milan native.
Her chic displays entice shoppers who may not realize right away that she purveys pre-owned looks from the likes of Chanel, Hermès, Brunello Cucinelli, Oscar de la Renta and The Row. (The shoes—by Manolo Blahnik, Celine, Christian Louboutin and more—have never been worn.) Many younger customers foreground sustainability and “make it a point to buy secondhand,” Rosenbaum observes. “They might refuse to go to Macy’s or wherever.” If they are browsing with their mothers, she adds, the latter may be swayed by items that are different, that not everyone else is wearing.
Foxy Couture owner Susan Galvin, who started out in 1991 by selling at vintage markets and consigning to stores, has noticed an uptick in eco-minded buyers as well. “Young people growing up on the Monterey Peninsula have had a lot of exposure to preserving our sensitive environment,” she says. Galvin and her husband—he grew up in Big Sur—moved from San Francisco to Carmel in 2004. “Recycling and upcycling clothing has become the preferred way to shop for many high school and college students,” she continues, “and fast fashion has become ‘out of fashion’ due to its damaging effects on the climate and the people working to produce it.”
Celebrities have also prompted interest in archival fashion, Galvin notes. At this year’s Met Gala, for instance, Zendaya wore a 1998 John Galliano dress.
Foxy Couture features a range of designer labels, styles and eras, which Galvin particularly enjoys researching. She has pieces dating to the 1800s, like jewelry and capes, alongside those that dropped in 2024. Chanel denim sandals and Larry Mahan leopard-print cowboy boots were recently spotted in the windows.
“Recycling and upcycling clothing has become the preferred way to shop."
<div class="quote-attribute">Susan Galvin</div>
Andrew credits Galvin and her team with paving the way for other local vintage fashion retailers. “They did the hard work of acclimating the community to the idea,” he elaborates. Foxy Couture is just a few doors from Wally’s, on San Carlos Street. For the Chuggs, the location is especially attractive because of its proximity to Stationæry restaurant, which Jordan’s sister, Alissa Carnazzo, owns with her husband, Anthony.
The sisters are sixth-generation Monterey County residents. Jordan and Andrew, who currently live in Monterey with their 2-year-old daughter, met while working in audio journalism in New York City. They are longtime vintage collectors—including the artwork on the walls at Wally’s—recognizing that oftentimes “things that are older are made better,” Jordan says. A sprinkling of new products, such as Carmel Valley-based Wade Egan’s handcrafted leather belts, align with their approach to sourcing, which prioritizes materials and manufacturing methods.
Although the inventory is mostly men’s wear, the shirts and jackets generally hold universal appeal. The music merchandise, like the sold-out Springsteen lot and the in-store record collection, reflect another passion for Andrew: He sings in the band Sunrise Patriot Motion, which plans on recording a new album soon. The couple admits that it can be difficult to part with some of their finds. But, Jordan says, “it’s fun to matchmake and find the piece for the person.” <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6457f19f1c1e1601e2c9c3f6/6487a9355b63a6818c705cea_CC-Icon--20.svg"alt="CC" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; min-width: 20px; width: 12px; height: 12px;">
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Anh-Minh Le is a Bay Area-based freelance writer and editor whose bylines have appeared in publications such as the San Francisco Chronicle, Nob Hill Gazette, WSJ. Magazine, CA Home+Design, Luxe Interiors + Design, Diablo and C Magazine.