The Revenge of Fashion: the story of Beatrice and How Vintage Gave Meaning Back to Her Life
Have you ever asked yourself what fashion is for you? Fashion does not only mean wearing nice clothes, perfectly matched, bought maybe in some fancy shop. Fashion is something deeper. It can be passion, love, and sometimes even a lifebuoy to cling to when you are drowning.
This is what fashion, and in particular vintage fashion, has been for Beatrice, an Italian girl of just 24 years old, who thanks to her strong and lively passion for fashion, managed to get back on her feet during a difficult time in her life. She put the pieces back together and started again, following and realizing her big dream: to open a vintage fashion shop. I can assure you that she succeeded brilliantly and today everyone in Turin loves her!
How did Il Capo Vintage, your fashion shop, come about?
The idea for the shop was born in February 2022 during a complicated period of my life. I suddenly found myself alone. My relationship had just ended, and after six years I no longer had a partner. I also no longer had a job, because we had a shop together that remained with him, and I didn’t even have a house, because the one we lived in together belonged to him. On top of all this, I discovered that I also had multiple sclerosis.
I immediately felt a great heaviness within me and realized that if I didn't use this energy to do something it would crush me. So I decided to open a new shop straight away. I started looking for locations, this one where I am now was the first one I saw, and as soon as I walked in I said "this is it!", but because I know I am an impulsive person I gave myself another week to see other places. Every time I came home, however, I thought of that one location, again and again, so finally, I decided to take it. The owner came to me with the price, saw that I was very determined and he even lowered the rent. That's when the hardest part began. I had to turn those four walls into my own shop, the one I had always wanted. My mother and aunt helped me a lot. They painted the walls with me, assembled the furniture, and took care of every detail. Almost all the pieces of furniture are second-hand, I went to many flea markets to find exactly what I wanted and I wanted everything to be vintage. In the meantime, I opened a curated Instagram profile, where I was chronicling all the stages of opening a new shop. I made those who followed me part of my story: we built this shop together. Thanks to Instagram, I immediately started to collaborate with other brands in the fashion world and beyond, with sustainable and artisanal realities.
Considering that you are very young, where does this passion for Vintage come from?
My passion for vintage comes from my parents, I was born in the United States, in California, because my parents were there for their jobs, they were vintage fashion sellers too. I grew up surrounded by vintage warehouses. It's a passion that has been passed down in the family. My mum still accompanies me to the markets to choose clothes, she is very good at haggling.
Along with my love for vintage, I nurture a passion for photography. When there is a face among my customers that attracts me, I choose it as a model and have them pose for me and my shop. I do everything here: from choosing the clothes for the photos, to communication and social management. I have a lot of fun wandering around the flea markets looking, not only for vintage clothes but also for details that can enrich the shop. My clientele exactly reflects this place and what my vision is, they are all very friendly and attentive. I also offer ready-made outfits, but I prefer to display fewer things, I don't want there to be too much stuff that confuses my customers. I create looks that I would wear myself and ask my friends to help me add pieces that go beyond my taste and please everyone.
In this shop, every detail speaks of you. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Inspiration can come from anywhere: from the people I talk to, the films I watch, the music I listen to, and especially from my clients. I try to pick up trends from overseas. I follow a lot of American TikTokers, from whom I catch up with trends that I know will come here. A great source of inspiration for me is Harry Styles.
Do you ever feel under pressure given your young age and the responsibilities that opening a business entails?
I know that opening a shop on your own at the age of 24 is not for everyone. The responsibilities are many and I have decided to throw myself into a post-pandemic period. But when I think about it, right now this is the only thing I want to do, which stimulates me. I'm very satisfied and I think that in five or ten years I might be able to open more shops. Being so young has its pros and cons, it's not always easy to manage money, VAT, and everything else. All this involves sacrifices but at the same time, I try to enjoy my age without missing out on the experiences I want to have.
Your strength is admirable. What is your next goal?
Yes, I am very young and I started this shop on my own, but actually, I am never alone. My family has helped me a lot and I also have to thank my friends for the continuous psychological support they give me. I want to make vintage fashion accessible to everyone. Next year I would like to create a magazine that speaks to everyone and covers inclusive topics. I would like to expand Capo Vintage, which is not just a shop but also a community, a place where people can grow, be inspired, and listen to each other. This shop is my deepest essence and represents my revenge. My target group is myself, my customers range from 17 to 35 years old and in between. I am the ideal customer of Capo Vintage. Compared to other shops, I look for what is fashionable today in vintage clothes, even in setting prices I impose costs that I know I could face as a customer. In the near future, I would also like to create exclusive pieces and find shirts and T-shirts to be transformed and embroidered to create unique pieces.
