Easter weekend saw the Vintage Threads event take over Manchester Triangle with a bang! Every thing about the event screamed Vintage, from the vintage enthusiasts desperate to find that one off piece, to the familiar smell of vintage clothing.

The triangle was transformed in to the 1940's, 50's, 60's 70's and well every era you can think of really. Vintage stalls scattered everywhere, pop up shops situated all over the triangle, live bands and tea cakes as an extra treat. This was just a slice of what this weekend event had to offer.

The atmosphere was a truly excitable one with traders selling and bargaining. Costumers, searching, buying, bantering, eagerly looking for that one off piece, all kinds of people from different worlds socialising and chatting, all brought together by this one section of the fashion industry...vintage.

Who ever said the vintage trend had passed was wrong because its back and it's bigger than ever. Personally i have never been able to get in to vintage fashion, i have looked, but then decided against it, its just not for me, or is this my ignorance or lack of creativity towards the trend?

I went on to interview various traders to really develop an understanding and a feel for Vintage. What surprised me about the Threads event is that it was so much more than a trader with a few pieces of vintage fashion to sell, it was handmade jewellery, it was handmade house hold items, it was vintage clothes customised, it was bags, shoes, coats, hats and ornaments. It was well .... just about anything you could think of, it was art, individualism and something that truly got you interested by the creativity of these people and their inspirations.

'' Enjoyment is the key" beams self taught horse vet Jenny Creak/ Wren, Jen is a self confessed hoarder, she collects junk and that's how she began hand making her range of cushions and door stops, they are truly adorable and unique with each door stop having its own name, Jen's creativity is nothing more then a hobby, her creations cost literally nothing to make, her cushions are filled with office waste or sand and the same for her snake door stops. Jen only started out in September and already you can see her brand is starting to expand and her brand image is being created, Jen also customises clothing, plain vests to add her own unique flair. When asked about her future Jen stated that what once was nothing more then a hobby is now becoming more popular and she will consider a web site and would like to sell her collection in shops. When asked why she thinks her clothes are becoming popular Jen answered " its cheap and on trend all in one,'' Jen takes plain garments and customises them so they're on trend, a lot of her clothes feature lace and florals, popular trends every year.

The event was full of people with different ideas and opinions towards fashion in particular, which is why there was a true buzz of excitement surrounding the event.

Fatz K was a name repeatedly popping up throughout the day, Firstly i noticed her pieces on The General Store's stall, Fatz K has a range of her handmade leather cuffs and headbands now featured in The General Store, Deansgate. The leather cuffs are what really stood out to me, they are all one offs, each one made completely different, immediately creating individualism for the consumer, the leather cuffs were my favourite pieces of the whole day, with integrated detail all over them Using reclaimed vintage and religious components, offering the customer exclusivity, fashion forward design and a keepsake timeless piece. The collection also featured handmade head bands, truly statement pieces. Fatz K also had a Vintage concession within the event ran by her staff and daughter, the collection featured truly vintage pieces, including bags and jewellery ranging from the 1950's, the bags were truly gorgeous and had the history to go with them. The imperfections which occured throughout the years just added to the individualism of the style. Each piece had been carefully chosen and this was apparent. I was told the pieces had been sourced from all over Europe to create a real range of vintage. When asked what inspires the interest in vintage, the Fatz team answered " its sustainable and environment friendly which is now becoming an issue to the world, Vintage is unique where as the High street is everywhere and finally vintage is full of history pieces ranging from over 50 years back."

Next i went to look at a truly vintage pop up store, which was full of vintage enthusiasts searching for a true bargain. I managed to grab the brand owner Ang , who's brand Vintage Junky is based in Scarborough and caters for all, men women, kids, old, young, trend setters and trend followers. Vintage Junky is Vintages answer to Topshop, clothing on trend which every body wants, only difference is vintage is much more exclusive. Vintage Junky has been expanding ever since its creation fourteen months ago, Ang's motto is ''to stay true to vintage, no customising.'' Vintage junky stocks a large selection ranging from 1940's-1980's. The aim of Vintage Junky is to stock vintage clothing which is on trend, at the moment the stock features a lot of denim and florals keeping close to the trends of spring/summer. Ang keeps her eyes on Vogue, Elle and other trend setting magazines and buys her stock based on them trends, evidently this is a successful method as the pop up shop is one of the busiest.
Vintage Junky a fashionable, popular shop with a selection for all.
　
Finally i went to visit a store which is situated permanently in the Triangle, the ADNAN brand, is situated on the bottom floor of the triangle and is an amazing store to visit, full of creative, imagination and unbelievable pieces that goes far beyond fashion. ADNAN is a contemporary artist, who's slogan is '' The solution to pollution.'' The brand was started out by the self taught designer using recycled items simply because he couldn't afford the materials or fabrics for his pieces. The store includes paintings, sculptures and dresses. The dresses are immaculately crafted and each detail is handmade, the pieces are made from used products such as Sainsbury's carrier bags,cling film, newspaper. The dresses remind me of a recycled version of couture, truly beautiful pieces made from a very gifted man. I truly recommend that you visit this shop as each piece is a joy to see.

　
The thing i liked most about this event is that every stall, shop, counter and trader was different, they had a different, vision and story to tell and this was reflected in their creations, everyone's opinion of fashion was different and this is what was so exciting about the event.
Vintage is set to stay around, with one off unique pieces, cheap prices, the chance to add your own personal flair, and to support the cause of recycling, it is not surprising that more and more consumers are opting for vintage, including a new reformed vintage me!

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Words by Roxanne Langley. Images by Kate Alexandra McLeish.

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