In with the old
Reprinted from Time Out Beirut Magazine
Contact: +961 1 574411 [email protected]
flea markets and resell them in Beirut. She has plans to open a permanent store this summer, but for now she’s keeping the details under wraps. Some of her clients crave styles from eras past, but for others it’s a matter of practicality, or even morality. Abeer reasons that buying used clothing is conscious consumerism, and like Depot-Vente, Vintage Bazaar is affordable: pieces are priced at LL5,000 and up, with a cap around $200 for truly exceptional pieces. ‘The fabric, cut and quality of clothing has really changed over time,’ Abeer explains. ‘For LL69,000, you can buy several old, beautiful silk shirts. Or for the same price, you can buy a trendy polyester shirt that you’ll end up cleaning your glass with one year from now.’ When the question is between old and new, Abeer says there’s no contest: ‘Really, an intelligent person will buy vintage.’ Depot-Vente (03 200620) Badawi Str, Mar Mikhael, Beirut. Facebook page: Depot-Vente Beirut Vintage Bazaar (70 922 520). www.beirutvintagebazaar. com. Facebook page: Beirut Vintage Bazaar
© 2012 Time Out Beirut, Do not edit or alter reprint, reproduction not permitted.
Swimming in history: Suit from Beirut Vintage Bazaar
In with the old
city’s other ‘vintage’ shops. Most items in the boutique were bought directly from older women in the city, and appear to be casual In Beirut, vintage clothing may finally be getting pieces from the ‘60s, ‘70s and its moment. As doors open to Depot-Vente and ‘80s. But Nawal says she Beirut Vintage Bazaar, two boutique owners tell doesn’t fuss over historical details: ‘Most of my TOB why new clothes are so last year clothes come from ladies who don’t even remember the ‘I can’t say because I really don’t here’s no glittering shop history of their own know.’ Depot-Vente came about front or nearly-new Elie clothes.’ She points simply because Nawal’s home Saab gown in the window, up to a sheer panel had grown too small for her own but on the first floor of an decorated with vintage collection; now she’s unremarkable building in Mar feathers. ‘This selling most of her decades-old Mikhael, a sign hangs by the came from a wardrobe for between LL10,000 door: ‘Here you are!’ woman who On this Friday afternoon, Nawal and LL20,000. The shop’s Holy had no idea Grail is a rack hanging from the Akl invites me into the shadowy how it got in her ceiling, as if suspended from the apartment where dresses and closet and was heavens. ‘Everything up there is coats hang from every inch of convinced it was a important to me,’ Nawal explains space, a carpet of shoes covering curtain.’ Nawal lifts both the floor. A bottle of wine sits open before stating her policy: one ends of fabric to reveal that they’re item from that by a day bed, the joined – the mystery piece is a particular rack can only free space a maxi-skirt with a dramatic train. be sold per month, narrow pathway. While Nawal focuses little on no exceptions, What looks like an I’ll only sell and even then the where a piece came from, for eccentric old tante’s others that’s part of its charm. house is actually if the girl is customer must never find two identical pass her test. ‘It all Beirut’s newest enthusiastic depends on the girl – ‘You’ll pieces when it comes to vintage vintage boutique, if she’s enthusiastic. clothing,’ says Abeer Kobeissi, Depot-Vente. There are people who are willing to founder of the pop-up shop Beirut Nawal opened the boutique in Vintage Bazaar. ‘Everything has pay anything, but I only sell to real April, but not because she saw a its story, which is what makes it vintage lovers.’ lucrative business opportunity. special.’ Abeer’s previous job at an At Depot-Vente, you won’t find In fact, when I ask if there’s an airline took her around the world, the two-seasons-old designer increasing demand for truly where she would collect clothing jackets or mid-‘90’s couture vintage clothing – produced 25 years ago or more – she confesses, dresses that crop up in some of the and other knickknacks from local
T
www.timeoutbeirut.com
Depot-Vente’s Nawal Akl
Abeer Kobeissi of Beirut Vintage Bazaar
Best of the Fests June 2012
Contact: +961 1 574411 [email protected]
flea markets and resell them in Beirut. She has plans to open a permanent store this summer, but for now she’s keeping the details under wraps. Some of her clients crave styles from eras past, but for others it’s a matter of practicality, or even morality. Abeer reasons that buying used clothing is conscious consumerism, and like Depot-Vente, Vintage Bazaar is affordable: pieces are priced at LL5,000 and up, with a cap around $200 for truly exceptional pieces. ‘The fabric, cut and quality of clothing has really changed over time,’ Abeer explains. ‘For LL69,000, you can buy several old, beautiful silk shirts. Or for the same price, you can buy a trendy polyester shirt that you’ll end up cleaning your glass with one year from now.’ When the question is between old and new, Abeer says there’s no contest: ‘Really, an intelligent person will buy vintage.’ Depot-Vente (03 200620) Badawi Str, Mar Mikhael, Beirut. Facebook page: Depot-Vente Beirut Vintage Bazaar (70 922 520). www.beirutvintagebazaar. com. Facebook page: Beirut Vintage Bazaar
© 2012 Time Out Beirut, Do not edit or alter reprint, reproduction not permitted.
Swimming in history: Suit from Beirut Vintage Bazaar
In with the old
city’s other ‘vintage’ shops. Most items in the boutique were bought directly from older women in the city, and appear to be casual In Beirut, vintage clothing may finally be getting pieces from the ‘60s, ‘70s and its moment. As doors open to Depot-Vente and ‘80s. But Nawal says she Beirut Vintage Bazaar, two boutique owners tell doesn’t fuss over historical details: ‘Most of my TOB why new clothes are so last year clothes come from ladies who don’t even remember the ‘I can’t say because I really don’t here’s no glittering shop history of their own know.’ Depot-Vente came about front or nearly-new Elie clothes.’ She points simply because Nawal’s home Saab gown in the window, up to a sheer panel had grown too small for her own but on the first floor of an decorated with vintage collection; now she’s unremarkable building in Mar feathers. ‘This selling most of her decades-old Mikhael, a sign hangs by the came from a wardrobe for between LL10,000 door: ‘Here you are!’ woman who On this Friday afternoon, Nawal and LL20,000. The shop’s Holy had no idea Grail is a rack hanging from the Akl invites me into the shadowy how it got in her ceiling, as if suspended from the apartment where dresses and closet and was heavens. ‘Everything up there is coats hang from every inch of convinced it was a important to me,’ Nawal explains space, a carpet of shoes covering curtain.’ Nawal lifts both the floor. A bottle of wine sits open before stating her policy: one ends of fabric to reveal that they’re item from that by a day bed, the joined – the mystery piece is a particular rack can only free space a maxi-skirt with a dramatic train. be sold per month, narrow pathway. While Nawal focuses little on no exceptions, What looks like an I’ll only sell and even then the where a piece came from, for eccentric old tante’s others that’s part of its charm. house is actually if the girl is customer must never find two identical pass her test. ‘It all Beirut’s newest enthusiastic depends on the girl – ‘You’ll pieces when it comes to vintage vintage boutique, if she’s enthusiastic. clothing,’ says Abeer Kobeissi, Depot-Vente. There are people who are willing to founder of the pop-up shop Beirut Nawal opened the boutique in Vintage Bazaar. ‘Everything has pay anything, but I only sell to real April, but not because she saw a its story, which is what makes it vintage lovers.’ lucrative business opportunity. special.’ Abeer’s previous job at an At Depot-Vente, you won’t find In fact, when I ask if there’s an airline took her around the world, the two-seasons-old designer increasing demand for truly where she would collect clothing jackets or mid-‘90’s couture vintage clothing – produced 25 years ago or more – she confesses, dresses that crop up in some of the and other knickknacks from local
T
www.timeoutbeirut.com
Depot-Vente’s Nawal Akl
Abeer Kobeissi of Beirut Vintage Bazaar
Best of the Fests June 2012
