WE START SMART
Our buying team take trends seriously. We scour fashion runways, global street style, edgy editorial and (most importantly) our own team and customers to determine what’s next in fashion, which informs what we pick from yesterday’s closets. Fanatical about vintage yet extremely precise with what we carry, product is sourced up to six months in advance, aided by a sophisticated information management system that gives constant internal trend updates. This helps us respond to shifts in the fashion zeitgeist on a weekly and monthly basis.
NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK
Next, a network of trained treasure hunters scale literal mountains of secondhand clothes to find the vintage diamonds that match our trends. Working in what the industry calls “raghouses” around the world, these “pickers” look at color, size, fit, quality, and label to meet our buyers’ needs, and it’s not an easy task: only 1 in 1,000 items make the cut. Our proprietary cloud-based technology delivers the real-time intelligence that makes all the difference: pickers get weekly updates on wireless tablets to direct selections, allowing us to choose more of what you love, more often.
IT'S ALL ABOUT BIG DATA
We’re not just vintage nerds; we’re data nerds. Specially developed software tracks the crucial fashion stats of each unique item that arrives at our East London HQ: trend, decade, size, style, and source, among others. We process one shipping container per week, where our product experts examine each box for quality control before hanging items for pricing. All this TLC gets us closer to retail success, and you closer to awesome vintage pieces that are truly relevant today.
WHERE THE MAGIC UNFOLDS
With each delivery of new vintage product, the circular economy is alive and well at our eight retail stores across the UK and Sweden. Eclectic props and eye-popping displays create a floor-to-ceiling cabinet of curiosities in constant evolution, setting the stage for our one-of-a-kind clothing and accessories. A tireless team of visual merchandisers and creative sales staff inspire an in-store experience like no other. Because basic is boring: we go above and beyond to bring new life to clothing that promotes uniqueness. In a unique environment.
A CREATIVE CONSTELLATION
Our customer is the most crucial element in our creative constellation. Endlessly inventive and always inspiring, the Beyond Retro community is the driving force of our business, united in non-conformity and committed to a retail counter-culture that celebrates individuality through the re-use of vibrant 20th century fashion the world over.
THE CYCLE OF VINTAGE - Just How Do We Get All Those Clothes, Anyway?