Gone are the days when “ukay-ukay” is seen as something cheap. For many fashion-savvy Filipinos, a trip to a thrift shop not only means scoring a very good deal on clothes but also finding one-of-a-kind pieces, even luxury items if you know how to check them. And it looks like Filipinos’ love for vintage finds goes beyond local borders as one Filipina takes it to the next level by opening a thrift shop in Milan.
Camille Velasquez is a self-confessed fashion addict. She studied it during her high school years, and while she was inattentive during class, she knew that someday she will be opening a boutique of her own. And after going through different jobs in Milan, she decided to launch a thrift shop, aptly named Thrift Shop Milano, inspired by the famous Macklemore and Ryan Lewis song.
“I just knew I wanted to work in the apparel industry,” Camille tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “While I worked in the evening as a bar lady in an Italian craft beer pub, in the morning, I sold my unused clothes on Instagram and Vinted. I saw that people were interested so I continued to sell until COVID hit, where the whole world stopped. After things ‘settled,’ I realized I needed a change in my life. So, I decided to open my shop!”
Camille sources pieces to sell from different suppliers in Italy and abroad. Thrift Shop Milano, although a small space, features a variety of pieces in different styles. According to her, some of the notable pieces she found in her piles of garments to sell include a vintage Formula 1 x BMW suit from the ‘80s, a 2000s Richmond silk dress, and a Max Mara skirt with 3D pockets adorned with stainless steel details and embroideries.
“First of all, they are very amazed by my young age and by the vintage [pieces], but at the same time, by the current selection that I have in the shop,” Camille says about her customer’s reactions. “I don’t focus only on one genre but I vary a lot… I buy pieces that are on trend at the moment, I also listen to my customers’ requests and I experiment a lot.”
Her interest in building a thrift shop stems from her personal style and shopping choices. According to her, she hasn't shopped any pieces from fast fashion labels for over four years now. What she usually purchases are only vintage or second-hand items, from clothes to objects.
“I have a style that follows my mood and the weather a lot,” she muses. “I’m having a lot of fun expressing myself with ‘Gothic chic,’ preppy, and Y2K styles.”
Camille was 15 years old when she was last here in the Philippines, which was ten years ago. Although she has no plans yet of visiting the country due to managing the shop, she would jump on an airplane in a heartbeat once she gets the chance.
“I have a dog that I love very much and I don’t feel like leaving it at boarding houses or with other people,” Camille ends.
Camille Velasquez’s Thrift Shop Milano is located at Via Privata del Don, 2, Milan, Italy. To know more about it, visit @thriftshopmilano on Instagram.