Professional store owners who are the go-to place for true vintage clothing lovers
I bought millions of yen worth of secondhand clothes!? Secondhand clothes are an investment!? I have no interest in that at all!! I think secondhand clothes are a fashion tool for people with a unique perspective and a core item that is dug up by maniacs. Sorry for the noisy start.
The secondhand clothing stores in Tokyo that this picky guy recommends are stores that are professional in something and whose level of professionalism is constantly evolving. And just like how professional athletes can be incredibly good at different sports, stores that specialize in something are always stores that excel in other areas as well, in the world of secondhand clothing.
With the global secondhand clothing boom driving up prices, you may end up paying a high price and getting a questionable product from a store with no knowledge or sense! Or you may end up tired of the trend after it's over! To avoid this kind of failure and despair, we hope you will visit a professional secondhand clothing store in XX, buy a decent product, and become even more addicted to secondhand clothing! With that in mind, we will introduce you to some professional stores.
The level of professionalism at each of these six stores is undoubtedly the best in the world. Seriously. Recently, people in their 20s who work at second-hand clothing stores have been coming to these stores looking for vintage items for their own personal use. I sometimes wonder how quickly they've gotten there, but I'm happy about that. None of the stores will easily share their knowledge with you. But if you keep going because you love them, you'll definitely become close and learn a lot.
SUNTRAP
With the recent surge in popularity and price hikes of coveralls, this is undoubtedly the place to go for vintage workwear. They've been collecting these items for over 30 years, before anyone knew about them. They're the most trusted source for vintage items, with the most detailed information.
Address: ACP Building 1F, 4-23-5 Koenji Minami, Suginami-ku | Map
TORO
The uniqueness, high quality and flawlessness of the vintage items on display have led fellow second-hand clothing stores to say for years, "That place is amazing!" The owner, Ikuko Yamaguchi, is also a professional vintage remake artist, who creates her own items at her workbench inside the store. She says that she comes across materials while shopping and is inspired to remake them!
Address: 1-2-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku | Map
Away from SKROVA
The owner, Yosuke Imaizumi, is a vintage T-shirt professional. He loves skateboard and rock T-shirts and has been selling them for a long time, so his shop is different from recently opened stores. He has his own values that are different from market value, and he judges what is rare, which makes him a real shop.
Address: 103, 4-21-6 Koenji Minami, Suginami-ku | map
eel
The owner, Kyoko Yamaguchi, is a fashion professional. Before opening this store, she worked at LONGABU in Koenji, and the staff's style was so amazing that it became a topic of conversation. You'll learn a lot about the standards for choosing things and how to wear them. It's also great that one corner of the store is a cassette tape DJ booth.
Address: Tanaka Corp. 1F, 4-6-28 Asagaya Kita, Suginami-ku | Map
CA.
This shop has a maniacal feel, with old books and catalogs coexisting with clothing. The owner, Tadashi Sugiura, is actually a vintage sweatshirt professional. He is so thorough that he can even identify the brand, era, and color variations of an item even without the name tag on the collar. Currently, the store stocks more outdoor and military items, and not many sweatshirts.
Address: 103, 4-24-9 Koenji Minami, Suginami-ku | Map
BACK STREET
A specialist in outdoor vintage clothing. Gregory, Patagonia, Gramicci, etc. The store's selection and knowledge are unrivaled. Collectors of this genre from all over the world are paying attention to it. About a year ago, they predicted a resurgence of Patagonia in the secondhand clothing market in the fall and winter of 2024, and they were right.
Address: 2F Machida Nakamachi Daiichi Building, 1-17-4 Nakamachi, Machida City | Map
