WITH an intuitive eye for vintage fashion, Ameli Lindgren, the founder of Nordic Poetry, began her business by setting up a stall in Brick Lane market with a selection of clothes she had sourced with a mere £100. From there, her unique curations increased in popularity, with stints at Spitalfields and Boxpark following soon after.
In 2013, Nordic Poetry, the concept store on Bethnal Green Road, was launched. This year alone, British actor Omari Douglas noted Nordic Poetry as one of his cultural highlights in the Guardian; Harper’s Bazaar contributor Jessica Bumpus celebrated Lindgren’s lockdown initiative, her Instagram television series The Pink Room, while British GQ crowned it one of the best vintage menswear stores in London. Initially getting items from Deptford market for her stall, Lindgren now travels around the world to seek the ultimate vintage finds, listing Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier as her greatest treasures.
But she is highly guarded about her sources, which is not surprising, especially considering Nordic Poetry is based near Brick Lane, the most famous vintage fashion centre in the UK. As we discuss in the interview below, second-hand is gaining mainstream momentum, and as demand grows, how can vintage fashion remain sustainable down the line?
For now, as Lindgren notes, the purchase of a singular item with quality craftsmanship and a backstory has the power to make us rethink our shopping habits, shifting us away from mass consumption in the process.
Ameli Lindgren, founder of Nordic Poetry
GIANNI VERSACE Red vinyl leather co-ord set from AW94, worn by the supermodel Naomi Campbell
GIANNI VERSACE Red vinyl leather co-ord set from AW94, worn by the supermodel Naomi Campbell
What inspired you to start Nordic Poetry?
For many years, I aspired to one day run my own business that incorporated my love for fashion. Growing up in Stockholm, I would rummage through thrift stores searching for unique clothes and designer garments that I didn’t see on anyone else. For me, fashion is about expressing individuality and vintage fashion was the way I did so.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
My style varies day to day depending on my mood, it ranges from classic, timeless pieces to more stand-out pieces. At the moment, I am obsessed with wearing my cowboy 1978 Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren t-shirt.
How does Nordic Poetry differ from its vintage shop neighbours around Brick Lane?
I had a vision for Nordic Poetry to be the go-to place for curated stand-out designer pieces with a backstory that you couldn’t find elsewhere. I wanted the store to have a strong identity, so I teamed up with creative director, Scott Smith, who designed Nordic Poetry’s flagship store and helped to create our brand identity. The pink room, which is at the back of the store, is an instagrammable hot spot.
GIANNI VERSACE Black wool cropped jacket from the 1992 Miss S&M Bondage collection
John Galliano for CHRISTIAN DIOR Stamp print silk co-ord from spring 2002
John Galliano for CHRISTIAN DIOR Stamp print silk co-ord from spring 2002
Where did the idea for your IG TV series, The Pink Room, come from?
It was born out of lockdown. I wanted to include people from various backgrounds, with a knowledge of fashion, to come and style each other, and discuss fashion. It was a fun way to ease people slowly out of lockdown, swapping their joggers for a Jean Paul Gaultier dress. It also allowed the audience to ask questions and learn about each outfit. We have not continued with it since reopening as we’ve been extremely busy, but we’re thinking of relaunching a more fine-tuned version that will be published monthly rather than weekly.
What do you see for the future of contemporary vintage fashion?
Reports over the past three years show that the resale market is booming and has grown 21 times faster than the average retail market. This figure is only going to get bigger. As social media has grown in influence, consumers have developed a greater desire to stand out from the crowd, thus sparking a cultural hunger to seek out rare and collectible pieces.
How do you source your archive pieces? What is your process?
When I started, I built a network of people in the UK that sat on designer/archive pieces. Nowadays, we operate globally and work with many individual private sellers and suppliers.
Which items tend to become your most treasured and why?
The most treasured items are often our runway pieces with a historical reference or those which have been worn by a celebrity, but it’s not always down to exclusivity or the popularity of the person who wore it. It can also be down to the fact that the garment is a beautiful piece made using amazing fabric with an unusual print or a rare construction that gives it greater cause to preserve.
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER SS91 Leather corset (the matching jacket exhibited in The Met Museum)
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Cyberbaba dress from the 1996 Tattoo Body Map Optical Illusion collection. Seen on the supermodel Helena Christensen
Since your store opened in 2013, have you noticed any changes in the kind of consumer visiting your store?
I believe that people are more consumer conscious, reducing their negative environmental footprint. The demand has increased, and the demographic of our customer base is less niche, with people coming from all walks of life. We find that people would rather buy at least one special piece with a cultural reference than mass consume.
In your opinion, what does our love affair with contemporary vintage fashion pieces mean for the fashion industry at large?
The fashion industry needs us to build upon their archives to get inspiration for their future collections. Nordic Poetry works with many fashion houses for that sole reason.
What advice would you give to someone starting their archival fashion collection?
To collect archival pieces requires knowledge, so start with either one or two designers that you love and then learn everything about them. You need to know about celebrities, iconic photographers, models, stylists, muses, political and cultural references.
What opportunities has your collecting afforded you? What have been the high points?
There have been so many high points since I started off but meeting people with more knowledge than me and learning from them has been amazing. Also, putting a smile on people’s faces when they find that special item.
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD/MALCOLM McLAREN 1977 Expose muslin top from their shared shop, Seditionaries. The muslin top resembles a straight-jacket and was developed around 1976. It is one of the most iconic garments to ever have been sold at Seditionaries
OSSIE CLARK AND CELIA BIRTWELL Lamborghini trousers 1969. Previously exhibited in V&A museum and worn by Twiggy
by Lily Rimmer