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As most of you will know by now, I love to shop – albeit I often refer to it as ‘research’ as a way of deflecting attention from my irrational spending. However when you find that one store, which appears to offer everything and more, it’s nigh on impossible to resist.
Walk into any high street shop and you will often be greeted with a teenager pursing their lips and with an air of ‘can’t be bothered’ about them. This lack of customer connection and rapport is what often drives people away and makes them less likely to buy into a brand. Mooch Vintage fortunately doesn’t fall victim to this tardiness and seeks to ensure each customer is made to feel like royalty, with a personal stylist and friend all rolled into one.
I discovered the store by chance and it has since captivated my love of clothes – so much so that I have been back numerous times in quick succession in just a few weeks. There’s something beautifully special about vintage pieces, as they have a story behind them and go beyond the generic over-produced pieces hanging solemnly in high street windows. There’s an element of treasure hunting – to find the most obscure and outlandish garments, to playfully marry together-styling, has never felt so carefree. Mooch Vintage is an Aladdin’s cave with so much attention to detail given by its owner Wayne. The obvious selling point is no two items are the same, which eradicates the often embarrassing ‘who wore it best’ when you find yourself in the same outfit as someone else.
It’s not just about individuality and being unique in your clothing choices. It’s more about feeling fashion and allowing yourself to delve into our rich history of styling, bringing it bang up to date. It’s greatly surprising how much a vintage piece can transform an outfit and take it beyond the usual high street ‘look’.
Shopping at Mooch is like transporting yourself back to the innocence of carefree youth, arms buckling under the pressure of carrying the ultimate ‘dressing up box’. The team are fantastic and the shop is possibly one of the most passionate retailers I have met in quite some time.
The team also extends as far as having its very own in-house sewing specialist, tucked neatly away in a cavern of fabric. Not only are alterations services available for garments bought outside the establishment, but Mooch will also customise and make vintage garments fit how you want them too. I cannot describe how excited this makes me, not only as a designer, but as someone who craves superior customer service.
The sewing specialist in question, Lorraine, has a wealth of knowledge behind her and is extremely capable in her craft. Now imagine walking into Topshop picking a garment (that’s if they have your size) and asking if they can create a bespoke fit. Exactly – it’s never going to happen. Mooch really are at the very top end of their game and take vintage clothing out of the stratosphere of custom collectibles.
As well as all of the above, Mooch have a great way of tailoring a customer’s creativity and bouncing ideas around on styling and pushing the boundaries. This personal touch is what takes me back and cements my belief that the store will continue to thrive, with its army of dedicated devotees. The success has also led to carefully selected pieces made available on ASOS, giving you just a taster for the emporium of collectibles which can be found in its stand-alone store in Sheffield.
I, like any creative person, find my style getting a bit stale and over executed – but one trip to Mooch was enough to get my creativity overflowing. Granted my bank balance has noticed a difference in my ‘creative research’ but I can confidently say it is worth it. Mooch has given me back my passion for dressing up and making a statement.
For further information and news updates, please follow the links. Be sure to tweet and Facebook us your photos of Mooch products and share the passion for making the ultimate fashion throwbacks:
You can visit the Mooch Vintage ASOS Store online, find them on Facebook or Twitter, or check out the latest Mooch Vintage ‘looks’ at their Instagram page (@MOOCHVINTAGE).
