Clothing resale is thriving—the market for secondhand apparel grew to $119 billion in 2022, a 24% increase from the year before, according to a report from resale platform ThredUp—but it’s still difficult for sellers to turn a profit. And the shopping experience can often feel like rummaging through a garage sale.
Amy Abrams took a big step toward changing that when she acquired the 20-year-old Manhattan Vintage Show in January 2022 and transformed what had been a typical flea market into a highly curated shopping event. The updated affair, which takes place in Chelsea each February, April, and October (and is about to expand from two days to three) encourages shoppers to linger and socialize. It’s catered and has a bar, a photo booth, a DJ, and—perhaps most importantly—private changing rooms. Each show, which costs $23 for a one-day pass, sold nearly 9,000 tickets this year, up from 1,500 the year prior, with vendors reporting sales up 35% to 50%.
Abrams, who founded Williamsburg’s multi-merchant marketplace Artists & Fleas in 2003 to showcase the work of local artisans, vintage dealers, and makers (it now also has outposts in Brooklyn, Atlanta, and Los Angeles), personally curates, organizes, and markets the Manhattan Vintage events. She makes sure that the merchandise spans decades, styles, and price points, unlike other high-profile events like the ones held by Re-See, which feature only higher-end designer items. “We want people to get excited about vintage, and not everybody’s entry into vintage clothing is going to be a designer ball gown,” Abrams says. “Some people want a vintage T-shirt that they can wear tomorrow.” Legendary costume designer Patricia Field (Emily in Paris, Sex and the City) has attended, as has Vogue contributor Lynn Yaeger; it’s become a place to spot nascent trends that haven’t yet made it to Instagram or TikTok.
Abrams is also using the show as an opportunity to strengthen the seller community. The vintage shows bring together 90 of New York City’s best-known vintage dealers, including Clubhouse Vintage and Madame Fortuna, along with private collectors such as LoveShackFancy founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen, who sell items from their own personal vintage stockpiles. “The show is also about connecting merchants, collectors, and dealers from around the world who may not know each other,” Abrams says, who “end up being a huge support network for each other.”
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