1. When did you start Ascensio Vintage?
The idea of Ascensio began on a trip to London back in 2021. I was vintage shopping in Soho, just after a Covid lockdown, and kept thinking how fun and fulfilling it would be to have a store of my own. I have loved fashion and anything vintage since I was a young girl - I had always felt so drawn to older pieces of furniture, art and clothing, as I appreciated the artistry each item demonstrated whilst I grew up in the era of plastic minimalism and fast changing cheap trends. I was captivated by the fashion world (particularly anything 1990s) during secondary school, thanks to a very stylish Textiles teacher who shared her love of Alexander McQueen and Fred Perry with me. We’d sit looking through runway collections pre-2000 for inspiration and I quickly became obsessed, particularly with McQueen, Westwood and Gaultier.
2. Why did you start Ascensio Vintage?
I always wanted a job in fashion, but I had chosen not to go to uni and was at a loss when it came to what I wanted to do as a career. I decided after COVID to bulldoze through any self doubt or fear of failure that had stopped me before and began to create a website. From there all the pieces have slowly fallen into place.
3. Where did your influence for the shop come from? Any major style influences?
As I mentioned, I have a real affinity with anything 1990s, feeling like I was born in totally the wrong generation. I had so many tumblr and Pinterest boards of stylish 90s icons such as Carolyn Bessette, Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista and TV characters such as Rachael Green and Cher Horowitz as a teenager, basing all my purchases and thrift finds off their outfits I found in old magazines and screen grabs on Instagram. I love film photography for the timeless aesthetic and feel, trying to use it as much as possible when taking pictures for the website after having been gifted an old school Minolta by my cousin in Ireland. Everything looks better on a film camera or Polaroid. My hope is that the website reflects my personal style, whilst stocking a wide variety of pieces of all different style genres so that everyone can find something that suits them.
4. Whats your favourite part of the job?
I think I am the definition of a severe shopaholic, so the best part of the job for me by far is the hours I spend researching and scrolling for ‘new’ pieces. I take the opportunity to travel as much as I can to find unique pieces unavailable to me in the UK. I get to meet so many brilliant people on these travels, many with the same interests and passions as myself. There is such a lovely community in the vintage fashion space and I’m lucky to be part of it.
5. Whats your favourite item you own?
My favourite piece I own currently has to be the Gucci Fall 1999 snakeskin leather jacket. I’m absolutely in love with the craftsmanship of it, how structured it is.
6. Whats your dream item, or an item your regret letting go of?
My dream is to own a Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown. There’s so many iconic pieces I dream of owning I don’t think I have a favourite, but every time there is a Schiaparelli collection I fawn over it. For the last 100 years they have been one of the most consistent brands in terms of producing literal artwork for their couture collections. There’s two items I think of that I’m sad I let go of - I had a pair of the most incredible Manolo Blahnik heels, which were baroque embroidered and fur lined pointed toe heels. They reminded me of historic Russian royalty and the costume parties they held back in the early 1900s. So fabulous, but they did end up being sold to a wonderful fashion illustrator in Italy so I’m sure they’re being treasured. I also had a funky Westwood handbag, kind of furry in an orange and yellow giraffe-like pattern. I got it for a stupidly low price in a market somewhere, and sold it for an equally low price when I did a wardrobe clear out (I don’t know what possessed me to put it in the throw-out pile). It was so cool and I often wonder where it might be today.
7. Where do you want to take the business?
I love to travel and meet interesting people, so I would like to continue to grow Ascensio globally, hopefully spending more time in the States. The great thing about the internet and online shopping is the reach you can get, meeting and connecting with people you never could have in the past. Personally, I am quite the workaholic and am always focused on the next step, the next bigger and better thing, so the goal post is always being moved. Ascending. The shop has been online for almost a year now, so I can’t believe how far we’ve come already and I want to continue on that trajectory, just seeing where it takes me.
8. What motivates you?
I think ever since I was a little girl I always knew I could not stick to the normal and perhaps easier path, I knew that I wanted to be always busy and surrounded by art and creativity and design. I really had a strong idea from a young age as to exactly what I wanted. Any time I become demotivated, I remind myself that little me would be so in awe of the opportunities I have worked so hard for to begin to make this a reality, and that I have to continue to do more and keep progressing for her. I’m lucky that the small circle of people in my personal life are all very supportive of my dreams and tolerate the madness that comes with that. When I am insecure or doubtful of myself, I am reminded to have gratitude and lean on faith.
9. One bit of advice for anyone starting a 2nd hand business?
I think the best advice I could have had when beginning my own second hand business would be that you should source what you’re drawn to, not what you think might sell best or be more popular. If you have genuine love for the things you source, that will reflect in your business and customers can see and feel it. I think it makes the shopping experience much better for the customer and provides so much more opportunity to connect with others. Someone also told me when I started that you can’t allow yourself to hold back for fear of failure or judgement of others. Just got to put yourself out there and trust your instincts and be proud to put your name alongside your curation.
