Q&A with Andrea Perini, Stylist, Vintage Guru and eBay Seller

By The Inside Source
October 26, 2009

Boasting a Vogue pedigree, a lifelong obsession with vintage (she was thrifting in Staten Island on the day we interviewed her) and an enviably keen eye for how to make decades-old fashion and accessories look relevant—even fashion forward—Andrea Perini was destined to open her own store. In 2006, she and partner Naveed Hussain launched VagaBondnyc on eBay and expanded to their own e-boutique in two years later.

Here, Perini fills us in on how she honed her skills and the trends that are inspiring her right now.

The Inside Source: Can you fill us in on the details of your working life before VagaBondnyc?

Andrea Perini: From my college graduation in 1997 through 2003, I worked in fashion editorial at a variety of publications, ultimately ending up working for (then senior fashion editor) Camilla Nickerson at Vogue and on all of her commercial projects. I worked on sets and advertisements with Mario Testino, Richard Avedon, Steven Klein and others, supported Camilla in her consulting work with clients like Narciso Rodriguez and Tommy Hilfiger, and was ultimately put in charge of vintage buying for all of her projects.

After a brief fashion sabbatical to get my graduate degree in psychology, I began working as a freelance stylist and started planning my business in 2005.

TIS: Aside from Vogue, how did you get your vintage education?

AP: I have been shopping for vintage my entire life and embraced punk d.i.y dressing and grunge, both of which are about individuality and personalization. When I started working in fashion, I learned the names of all the labels from the past that my bosses seemed to love, connected the dots through history, read lots of [fashion historian] Valerie Steele and read and re-read indie classic Subculture and the Meaning of Style by Dick Hebdige.

TIS: What’s the difference between your eBay site and your standalone site?

AP: The eBay site was sort of like a training camp—it helped us reach a broad audience and helped us figure out what works. eBay customers are looking for deals and expect immaculate customer service.

The standalone site allowed us to offer a more branded environment and to add editorial “looks,” which was something I always wanted to do. So far, that site seems to be reaching a more fashion-forward type.

TIS: Styling is clearly a large part of your site and your product photos. Why invest so much time, attention, and surely money into photo shoots?

AP: I wanted to use my experience creating fashion editorials to make sense of items for sale past from decades by incorporating them into cohesive, interesting outfits that look modern. We do our best to make outfits that look relevant and appealing, and hopefully inspire shoppers to spend a few dollars!

TIS: As an eBay buyer (not just a seller), what’s your greatest eBay find ever?

AP: Some ultra-rare 80's Body Map sunglasses with printed lenses, and a sentimental fave—a 1978 Foreigner concert t-shirt.

TIS: Which brands are flying off the shelves these days for you?

AP: Under the radar designers like Sophia Kokosalaki, for example, as well as tried and true designers Balenciaga, Chanel, Gucci, and Prada. I also recently started to incorporate more affordable yet fashion-forward no-label pieces that also seem to be selling well.

TIS: What vintage-inspired trend are you most excited about right now? What are you happy to see go?

AP: I am into the lingerie-inspired pieces from spring/summer 2010 collections and the return of 90's style American sportswear. Things with studs, shoulder pads and an overall warrior vibe seem really over to me right now.

TIS: What is inspiring your buying, dressing and styling right now?

Along with what’s going on in art, politics and culture, I pay attention to runway trends and what's in store for the season ahead. I also look back at designers like minimalists Jil Sander and Helmut Lang, anti-fashion designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Commes des Garcons, and current “anti-trend” designers like Zandra Rhodes.

TIS: Give us the inside scoop on some upcoming trends.

With the spring/summer 2010 collections, there was a lot of piling on in many cases, like at Louis Vuitton. Things also seem to be getting soft, with lingerie-inspired looks and transparency. I also noted a return to sportswear, khaki's, and utility that was juxtaposed with things that were truly flamboyant likes crazy digital prints, scuba and even plastic.

TIS: What trends are you happy to see go?

AP: Things with studs, shoulder pads and an overall warrior vibe seem really over to me right now.

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