Photo credit: Will Pollock
Having run her boutique (currently found in Roker, Sunderland) for over 15 years, Lyndsey Jackson has undoubtedly seen vintage fashion trends come and go, but currently, retro fashion is having a meteoric surge in popularity, with many different buying options becoming available.
With a lot of popular vintage Y2K pieces being initially produced around when she first began selling as a side hustle while at university, she undoubtedly has the experience necessary to remain consistently on trend as a seller and vintage expert.
We went directly to Corner 93, an appropriately quirky space whose vibe perfectly matches the uniquely curated items on sale. The vintage style furnishing and décor make the shopping experience flow excellently as the pieces feel absolutely at home in the shop. In this article, Jackson shares some insight into the modern state of fashion, from sustainability to uniqueness to fast fashion.
Photo credit: Will Pollock
When asked about her first steps into reselling pre-loved clothing Jackson stated: “A friend actually showed me eBay while I was in uni for photography around 2000 when I was 18 and it was still dial-up internet. From there I started to buy and sell as a side hustle after that, just to have a bit of extra money while I was studying.”
“During uni when we moved from film photography to digital photography and the birth of eBay I kind of married the two and got really addicted to watching items go for sale in eBay through dial up.
“We had one digital camera in the photography studio, so we got my friend Anna to model stuff, take photographs and sell on there, so it was the buzz of the photography and selling that the two loves combined and ended up with Corner 93.”
Photo credit: Will Pollock
But how important does she think it is to adapt to be modern as a fashion business?
“Put it this way, without Instagram we would probably go under in about two months. It’s so crucial. When I post items on social media often they are reserved in a couple of days, whereas normally they’d take a month or two to sell.
“Footfall just isn’t there anymore, it’s not the same since almost every business has a social media presence now. The high street isn’t what it used to be so I think without Instagram it would probably take two months until I couldn’t pay all the bills,” she says, and through her tone, it is evident she means every word.
“Our first Instagram account was hacked, with all the posts being deleted and it was really anxiety-inducing. I had to basically search through every business in the area’s followers and follow all of them to get more followers on the business account back. Now social media is definitely the way forward.”
Photo credit: Will Pollock
However, in recent years there have undoubtedly been a lot of challenges, with the pandemic and today’s cost of living. Regarding this, “During lockdown, it was tough because you didn’t know when you were allowed to open or reopen and the whole dynamic of the business changed, but thankfully we managed to get through and managed to keep open.”
“For the cost of living, I think we’re in a market which always survives recession, because if people are skint, they’ve got something to sell, and they like to buy a bit more thrifty. So, with the cost of living where people’s budgets are a little bit smaller, they’re able to shop more sustainably.”
Photo credit: Will Pollock
With all the experience under her belt, we thought it would be interesting to know Jackson’s personal favourite brand and era for her own personal style.
As her eyes light up with enthusiasm Jackson says “My favourite brand is Mondi, it absolutely sings 80’s through all its design and I find it quite nostalgic, I love vintage because it lets me see all these beautiful pieces from that kind of era, you see things you normally wouldn’t be able to.
“It would still be great to be able to go back through and see the whole experience you just don’t get now; the store layouts, carrier bags, price tags in-store and more because it’s all different now, shopping is a very different experience to how it was back then.
“My absolute favourite thing is a Mondi tux, much like the brand it just sings 80’s and I feel great in it. I’ve also got fond memories of a Mondi coat my mum used to have, with gold coin-style buttons, it’s very nostalgic for me.”
After speaking to Lyndsey Jackson, her evident commitment to vintage fashion is obvious. She lives and breathes it as an advocate for clothing with quality, history, and uniqueness. Her story takes us from the days of dial-up internet to the tricky task of navigating the fashion industry on social media as a business and shows us an example of the clearly very personal relationship that can be had when choosing to shop vintage over what’s trending on the high street.
What are your thoughts on vintage fashion? How about any favourite vintage pieces? Let us know on Instagram @fashion_north and find Corner 93 on there @corner93.new
