In a world where vintage shopping has democratized in recent years, RoseMarket Vintage maintains credibility through passion and expertise.
A gem on an uphill rue Milton is RoseMarket Vintage, nestled in the artistic and quiet second arrondissement, whistling between bohemian Montmartre and bustling Palais Garnier.
Push through the boutique’s wooden doors, eager secondhand hunters are welcomed into Florence Goldstein’s universe. This luxury vintage shop owner’s cozy space isn’t at all pretentious, in fact, none of it is organized or orderly. Piles of classic Chanel, romantic Lanvin, khaki Hermès and bold Saint Laurent stacked like aged novels in a quaint bookshop. It’s Florence’s invitation to dream and play dress up.
For vintage enthusiasts, this is the kind of walking closet that appears in fantasies. A beautiful chaos, worthy of hours. To dig, to try, to sift through. To lose yourself in the magnificence of Dior’s embroidery, Celine’s monogram, and Valentino’s cut.
Here’s the story of how RoseMarket Vintage started, so you can peek inside Florence’s heart which rings just as true as a Chanel tweed jacket.
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Can you tell us a little bit about how you created your shop?
FG: I started RoseMarket Vintage 14 years ago by accident because I used to work in fashion, but I was fed up with the trends so I started to buy vintage for my own collection. I began my blog in my apartment, which now has turned into a business. Welcome to my shop!
Balmain tricot. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
Window display. PHOTO WENDY HUNGWhen did your love for vintage start?
FG: I studied economics at the Sorbonne and later at University of California, Berkeley. I discovered vintage in Berkeley and San Francisco. I loved the atmosphere. I was crazy about fashion, so I had a career in fashion sales for Jean-Paul Gaultier and Lancel. After all of this, I decided to launch my blog.
Florence Goldstein. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
How do you find the pieces?
FG: A lot of people bring them to me because I have a real curation, so they check my Instagram page and my website, and when they see my universe, they can think of me. If they don’t wear something, they will bring it to me. Also, I love flea markets. I love waking up early, to hunt for pieces. So, my collection is a mix of all the things that I love.
Coral feathers. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
Saint Laurent cape. PHOTO WENDY HUNGWhy do you think people should buy vintage?
FG: People should buy vintage because it’s unique. The quality of the garments is incredible. Also, the style is, for me, a guarantee of good taste. After that, I like to focus on the 70s and 80s, so my vintage can be a little dated because now the trend is to propose Y2K a lot, so I can mix a little, but I’m a fan of, for example, Balmain tricot. I love prints, I love good fabrics, and I love vintage patterns like Saint Laurent. I try to focus on high-quality vintage.
Hermès top. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
RoseMarket mascot. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
Is it hard to start your own shop in Paris?
FG: Well, when I started 14 years ago. Vintage was for people who were looking for a dress for a party, for a birthday. It was more confidential, or there were collectors. Now vintage is very democratic, everyone wants to buy vintage. Now in Paris, you have so many shops. For me it’s difficult to have credibility, because if you go to many shops, you can find brands, but it’s mixed with Zara or H&M. And it’s business, it’s not a passion. We are in a time when people want to sell very fast, you have drops and pop-ups.
I think that when you really love vintage, you don’t have to be in a rush to sell. Because it’s old, I think it can wait for someone to really have a crush on the garment. So, I don’t like the fact that now you have to drop, buy, and sell. For me, it has to remain passionate.
Hermès jacket. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
Silver linings playbook. PHOTO WENDY HUNGHow does the story of Paris unfold through different pieces in your shop?
FG: We have the history of France in my shop. If you look around, you will have real fashion masterpieces with Chanel, so it’s Rue Cambon, and you immediately think of Coco Chanel. Then you travel to Hermès. For example, tourists that want to bring back something, they will immediately buy Hermès. I have a huge collection of its scarves. In my shop, everything is made in France, or sometimes, by Italian designers.
Embroidered Dior. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
Classic Chanel. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
When people come into your shop, what is the ambiance that you offer?
FG: I want to give them the feeling that this shop is special. I mean, it’s hidden in the street. I like that I’m not mixed with all the other ones.
I do it with my heart. So when you come inside, as you can see, there’s a huge collection. You can be lost, but this is a way for me to express myself. So you have to look deep in the collection. It’s not ordered by size or color, it can be overwhelming, but it’s true. I want to transfer that I don’t lie to my clients, and the collection is sincere.
Hermès scarves. PHOTO WENDY HUNG
Luxury vintage. PHOTO WENDY HUNGWhich brand or clothing item sells the most right now?
FG: A lot of blazers, jackets, especially silky blouses because they’re always very chic. For some people, that’s how they start with vintage, since it’s easy to buy a blouse because you can mix it with a pair of jeans. What else? Scarves. I love scarves. As you can see, I have Celine and Saint Laurent here. People from abroad love to bring back a small memory as gifts. So the scarf is a good purchase for it.
Interview transcribed by Natalia Guerra.
Beautiful chaos. PHOTO WENDY HUNG