The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan The Vintage Vanguard (w/ Kathleen Sorbara)
While it seems like everyone’s getting into the vintage game right now, few players have the experience and sharp point of view to set them apart in a crowded landscape and keep them in it for the long haul. This week, Alyssa sits down with Kathleen Sorbara, owner of Sorbara’s New York (formerly Chickee’s Vintage), to learn how she’s succeeded in the wild world of brick-and-mortar retail — an operation that evolved from selling a curation of vintage pieces on the side of the road. Tune in to hear about how Kathleen’s career journey began by sending an audition tape into an MTV modeling reality show and getting signed; how she navigated being a teenager in an adult world while climbing the modeling ranks; how being around clothing, art directors, creatives, and stylists on modeling jobs became an education on fashion and vintage; learning to run a retail store with no retail experience; navigating the highs and lows of the vintage trend cycle; how the aesthetic of her buy changes over time; how she stays agile and innovative to stand out in the vintage space; what happens when IG fan pages drive people to the store after a celebrity like Harry Styles is spotted shopping; honing her taste and getting inspiration from going to the ballet and other iconic New York programming (as well as from the retirement community her Florida hometown); recounting brick-and-mortar horror stories; learning that “no” is a full sentence; building a booming men’s business by having cute girls sell menswear to guys who were confused about fashion; and why always thinking about the next thing is crucial to avoid becoming stagnant or stale.
This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson.