The Case for Vintage
Having just returned from my annual trip to the ‘Braderie de Lille’ - Europe’s largest, and arguably most fun, flea market, this last weekend. I can continue to stress why vintage shopping for your home makes so much sense, for so many reasons….let me share a few here:
Vintage pieces often bring texture, character, history and personality that mass produced furniture can’t. A vintage piece has lived another life, somewhere else, with someone else….it immediately brings a presence and feeling to the piece, be it a cup and saucer or a dining table. Put that piece in your home and a new story begins.
Your home is a representation of you who are, what you are about, who you want to be and how you want to live your life. Are you really the same as everyone else? Do you want to be just a little bit different and unique? Choosing vintage items means you are less likely to walk into someone else’s house and see the exact same lamp, mirror, chair……
Older furniture, tableware and lighting were often made with solid materials, traditional joinery and methods of craftsmanship that we have lost over the years. Much of what we purchase in the 21st century is being produced for a short term trend cycle, rather than for longevity. Think of all the fashion trends we have been through in homewares over the last couple of years: scallop edges on everything, bobbins on everything, lobsters, leopards, frills….on and on it goes which is great for injecting a bit of ‘now’ into your scheme, but very quickly these accents become generic and clichéd. Far better to have a quirky, interesting, unique item that will stand the test of time, than something trend led and disposable.
Buying vintage is of course more sustainable, giving an existing piece a new lease of life is so the way to do good in the world, as opposed to contributing to, and fuelling the production of, and disposal of, yet another new item.
The hit on your purse is often far far less than buying from the high street or internet. In Lille I found the prettiest little ceramic jam pots, literally a euro each, but have these styled on an Anthropologie web page and they would cost twenty times more. Where do you find a chair for 10 euros or a mirror for 5? Obviously some pieces can be pricier, but nine times out of ten you will find beautifully made pieces for less than the costs of a comparable new item, particularly when you’re willing to look beyond the obvious.
Vintage items, as they have already ‘aged’ by the time you have found them, will continue to age beautifully. Marks, patina and wear can add an authenticity to a piece rather than making it look dated. Who remembers the fake ‘shabby chic’ era not too long ago? When the shops were full of fake striped back wood, and fake faded rugs. Better to have the real thing surely?
The thrill of the hunt, there is nothing quite like it, the list in your head of what you wanted to find as you set out - usually early in the morning - coffee to go and cash in hand. It is exciting and fun on so many levels, finding what you were looking for (or had no idea you were looking for but have to have), meeting the vendors, bartering, agreeing a deal, sharing a story, taking your find home with you. It feels discovered than simply bought and the rewards are immediate! No long lead times, failed deliveries and out of stock notices. Low risk, high gains!
Buying from independent dealers, flea markets and vintage sellers supports smaller businesses. This has to be a good thing to do our little bit against the monopoly of the internet’s big hitters.
Imperfection makes a room feel more interesting. A slightly worn cabinet or mismatched chair can give a space a warmth and less prescribed feel, preventing an overly contrived or polished feeling.
It’s sociable and fun, every September I go to the Braderie de Lille with a bunch of friends and clients, and it never fails to deliver… discussing together what we want to buy, heading out into the markets, pit stops for drinks and lunches, getting together to share our hauls, planning the next mission, sharing photos of our new finds in their forever homes…it’s all joy and there are many giggles. That’s got to beat sitting at a desk pressing a button?
The Lille Few - 2026
