Vintage Clothing: by Gillan Bell of Retro Vintage Love

I've mentioned vintage clothing here on a few occasions, but not yet spoken to an expert. I follow Gillan Bell of Retro Vintage Love on Instagram, browse his shop from time to time and have bought from him in the past, so was delighted when he agreed to share his expertise with readers of this blog.

GF: Many thanks for this interview, Gillan, please introduce yourself.

GB: Hello, I'm Gillan Bell of Retro Vintage Love. My journey buying and selling vintage menswear and accessories began back in 2006. I was twenty years old and fresh out of catering college after a three year course that had set me up for life in the food preparation industry. 

So, how does a man with a passion for food end up selling vintage clothing which was not even on the radar? Although style and history were very much a personal interest of mine, I never connected the two. It started with my Dad's Pringle sports sweater, (made in Scotland from the mid 1980’s, I believe). It was the jet black colour-way with the famous Lion embroidery in white, do you know the one? After a rather surprising sale on the well-known auction website that we all love, eBay, I was hooked. You never forget your first sale. My dad will tell you that he had every colour Pringle sports sweater ever produced back in the day. Well, he had a few less after I sold that first one. 

GF: What sorts of vintage clothing and accessories do you find are popular to buy now?

GB: That's not an easy question to answer. There are common sense rules and then there is instinct. A clothing palette should complement the season of the year. Modern fashion follows the rule of light colours for spring and summer and darker tones for autumn and winter. That also applies to vintage clothing to an extent. Only with vintage attire you have the luxury of mix and matching to your own preferred style and era; a trend that no one else can imitate. That's where the instinct comes in. You have to have some vision, outside your own tastes, on how someone else might mix it up. With that said, it seems every piece has a time to shine. The hard job is keeping up with the supply and demand for trends that can change in a heartbeat.

Over the years, I have noticed a big movement in the military scene, especially British and US wartime attire. Pieces can include workwear (HBT), battledress and camouflage (earlier patterns). Away from army surplus, patchwork denim seems to have taken off somewhat. Along with civilian dress, personalised souvenir jackets, worn-in leather biker jackets, stencilled goods and Native American jewellery. As it goes, anything with charm and character seems to go down very well, although it seems this changes hourly.

Those in the vintage game will understand that it isn’t simply a hunt for the well established brands, like the Burberry, Belstaff or Harris Tweed labels that we all rally for. With vintage lovers, it is much more of a personal journey. For me, it's finding that unremarkable piece that everyone has overlooked but ends up telling a remarkable story. That is what makes this job most enjoyable. As a buyer and a seller it allows me to branch out where there simply are no rules.

GF: What should anyone wanting to buy vintage think about? What advice would you give?

GB: When buying vintage clothing I look at the quality; the smallest detail as to how it was made, the history of where it was made, the people who made it and the current overall condition. 

Another key point is practicality; like buying from the High Street. Nothing sells faster than an item with that off-the-peg feeling. You also want to build a reputation that your customers go away knowing they won’t be sending a piece out for repairs after a week of wearing. Some sellers forget to check areas prone to wear, be it zips, linings, insoles, for example. Closely check the seams, especially when it comes to buying denim and leather goods. It's also important to know the difference between the unflattering "worn out" look of a garment versus and the comfortable signs of wear that adds to the overall vintage charm. 

You’d be surprised at what inspires designers nowadays. That sun faded jacket you bought in 1980 may just be the in-thing this season. On a serious note, this is what many vintage retailers are looking for. So, having a sense of current fashion trends is as important as thoroughly knowing vintage fashion trends.

Of course, you must have good business sense and have some sense of value for money or collecting vintage clothing will just be a disappointing hobby. Like everything we buy in life, we want to go away smiling. Be aware of sellers charging over the odds. Do your research from more than one source before committing on any sale. You never know, we may be selling for half the price! ;)

GF: Do you ever have items you find hard to sell as you like them so much - give example?

GB: Most certainly. This has become a daily battle of late it seems. Those who know how I work will understand the lengths I go to when it comes to gathering research on the history of a manufacturer's label on any given item. This often leads to learning the in-depth company heritage. That leads to when a garment was made. A specific year's run will have telling signs that differ from previous or later made garments; how, when and where the garment was worn. There is also the fun of learning about the famous faces who may have worn such garments in their heyday.

Often, the garment will have an owner's label revealing, in fact, who wore a specific garment. It can be the owner's posh monogram or a handwritten name, school or home address written in addition to or on the manufacturer's label. Then, the history of a garment comes alive. It can reveal the age its owner lived in, his exploits, his interests, his character, the famous relative who may have brushed up against this very sleeve. The story. Thus, finding it difficult to part with the connection.

And never forgetting those pieces worn by ex-servicemen and women. The owner's labels that reveal a military unit, home town, where stationed or what year. Those labels can reveal heroes and the history they may have made wearing the garment. I'm especially keen on those stories of local interest. It isn’t every day that you find a rucksack that has seen action during the WWII Normandy landings or a German Waffen-SS NCO belt dug out of the trenches, or military equipment owned by Prince Harry's right-hand man's grandfather, Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Gordon Ward Lane Fox (formerly Jackson).

A few of my personal favourites stand out: pieces include a late 1950’s ‘Barbour Suit’ waxed motorcycle jacket as worn by Steve McQueen. There is a tunic made by Film & Theatre costumiers M.Berman Ltd - Designers of the famous dayglo-coloured military-style uniforms made for The Beatles during the filming of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover and video. Personal belongings owned by a local Commanding Officer / P.O.W. (125th Anti-Tank Regiment “Sunderland’s Own” RA) during WWII, Battle of Singapore have become dear to me. 

Motorcycle gear made by Britain’s oldest motorcycling clothing company: Lewis Leathers. Est.1892. (D.Lewis Ltd).

The original CC41 Utility Clothing from 1941-1952. Others include: panel-stitched flags stretching from WWI / Early twentieth century morning and evening attire, tailcoats, waistcoats, shirts and collapsible top hats / Battledress to include a 1943 Royal Australian Air Force jacket / Post-war college sporting blazers / Levi’s Strauss & Co (Pre 1971) / Mountaineering equipment to include canvas rucksacks dating from 1910 -1970 / Barbour raincoats pre 1980 / Bench-made leather shoes / 

Sporting related items to include fishing and hunting bags / Officers field boots with wooden lasts / GF Ray-Ban sunglasses by Bausch & Lomb U.S.A. / French chore wear / R.A.F. Air Ministry issued sheepskin flying jackets / British-made leather satchels and briefcases. Also not forgetting a wonderful vintage Grenfell Shooter Jacket!!

On the whole, I much prefer to buy than to sell…(He admits).

GF: Do you wear vintage clothes and accessories yourself?

This is the one question I get asked the most. You would think I would be dressed to the nines from any decade. As much as I follow current trends, it is a challenge to keep up with supplying the nation with vintage clothing on a day to day basis. 

There were episodes where I wore loud tees, drainpipes and winkle pickers. Today, you will most often find me in a mix of light and dark colours, long sleeve shirts, chinos or (it may sound funny) vintage inspired pieces. British made, where possible. Finished by a classic desert boot by Clarks or a pair of Dr.Martens chukka boots in the vein of the Playboy model by Sanders & Sanders of Northampton, England - As worn by the “King of Cool”, Steve McQueen. ;)

Truthfully, in answer to whether I wear vintage? You see, I would wear it all...if there were no bills to pay.

GF: Many thanks for a fascinating interview, Gillan. How can readers contact you to find out more and to buy?

GB: My main port of entry is my website www.retrovintagelove.co.uk that takes you to my eBay Shop. Retro Vintage Love on Twitter & Facebook both have links to the eBay Shop. And for all the latest: Instagram via Gillan Bell or RETROVINTAGELOVE_ (don’t forget that ( _ ) underscore at the end).

All other enquires please contact me at gillanbell@hotmail.com. Open 24/7