S10 Ep17 ISLE of MONDAY: co-founders of the first rental platform for luxury archival fashion, Gabriella Carota and Janelle Gray - on redefining how women access designer clothing.

Today we're chatting with Gabriella and Janelle — the co-founders of Isle of Monday, the first on-demand rental platform for women's luxury vintage archival clothing. Gabriella is the sourcing powerhouse behind the brand, while Janelle leads marketing and growth — and I'm so excited for you to hear how two friends turned a shared love of vintage into a platform that's redefining how women access designer archival fashion. Gabriella's path to vintage started young — she's been collecting and reselling, all while working as a model from age 16, which put her in close contact with stylists and sparked her obsession with archival pieces. Janelle came at vintage from a different angle entirely, falling in love with vintage furniture and interior design. The two met at a pop-up at Canal Street Market, where Janelle spotted Gabriella's collection and the rest was history! After running future pop-ups together and getting certain requests from their customers over and over, they saw the gap rental could fill. They officially became business partners in January 2024, building out a rental platform with bespoke logistics, cleaning, and a proprietary pricing model built specifically for one-of-one archival pieces. Isle of Monday launched into beta on December 1st of 2025 and officially opened to the public on May 18th — and the growth since has been staggering, from under 2,000 followers pre-launch to nearly 50,000 today, with pieces recently worn by Keke Palmer, Doechii, and Ashley Graham, among others. On today's episode, we get into all of it — their now-famous Roberto Cavalli dress that went viral on TikTok before they'd even launched, what it's really like fundraising as two female founders in the still-misunderstood fashion tech industry, and why they believe archival vintage is becoming an investment-grade asset class in its own right. Let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [4:38] Gabriella's path to vintage started young — she's been collecting and reselling, all while working as a model from age 16 [6:13] Janelle came to vintage from a love for vintage furniture and interior design. [12:02] They met at a vintage pop-up and became fast friends and collaborators.  [14:26] Why they decided to innovate in rental instead of resale.  [19:46] Building a proprietary pricing tool for archival, one-of-one vintage rentals  [22:50] How they think about sourcing "rentable" pieces as opposed to resale inventory.  [34:16] Fundraising as two female founders in the fashion tech industry [39:40] Archival vintage becoming an investment-grade asset class in its own right. [41:34] Gabriella and Janelle's own personal vintage collections and style  EPISODE MENTIONS:  Isle of Monday @isleofmonday Janelle's 2003 Roberto Cavalli gown  Ashanti in Roberto Cavalli S/S 2003 at the American Music Awards  Doechii wearing Isle of Monday Keke Palmer wearing Isle of Monday The Bluemarine dress from Uptown Girls  Sabrina Carpenter S/S 2003 Ralph Lauren dress Blummier Gone Archive 3 Sisters Seacret Vintage LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod  SPECIAL THANKS:  A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible! Patty Weber Kathy Brand Lisa of Queenie & Pearl Lydia Welp Michael A. Megan Morris Jennifer Alana Rivero Jerrica Yasumura Amanda Hale

Pre-Loved is back with the second installment of the Resale Report, our monthly segment dedicated to the business of vintage and secondhand — made specifically for the small shop owners, solo sellers, and independent dealers. Joining me again is Sloane Middleton-Mann, founder of Business of Vintage, the world's only marketing agency specialized for vintage sellers. Sloane brings a rare combination of industry experience and formal business school training — she went back to get her MBA specifically to translate retail and marketing best practices to the one-of-a-kind space of secondhand, and has been helping vintage sellers build smarter businesses ever since. We start with a debrief on Vintage Store Day, which we covered in our first Resale Report — including the press wins, the local crawls, and the shop owner whose entrepreneurial story landed a full profile in her local paper. Then we get into the real topic of the day: summer social media strategy. It's flea market and outdoor pop-up season, which means dealers are busier and more exhausted than ever, even as the season hands them some of the richest content of the year. We talk about how to turn that contradiction into your advantage — a repeatable "minimum viable content strategy," what to actually capture at a market without losing your mind, what happens to your account if you go quiet for a real vacation, and how to turn a sourcing trip into a sold-out drop. Whether you're trying to survive your busiest selling season or just trying to build a more sustainable relationship with your phone, this one's for you. Let's talk shop! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [01:24] A debrief on Vintage Store Day — what happened when shops used the press and social templates from our Vintage Store Day webinar. [05:00] Setting the scene for summer: pop-up season is the most content-rich time of year, and also the most exhausting [06:22] Is the "summer slowdown" a self-fulfilling prophecy? Here's a reframe to consider from Holy Thrift. [09:06] The "minimum viable content strategy": ditching perfectionism for three repeatable post types [17:37] What actually happens to your account when you take a real break (it's less scary than you think) [21:28] How much of yourself to share in personal content [23:47] A hands-full strategy for capturing content at markets [28:01] Turning a one-time market shopper into a regular customer [31:42] The latest content trend Sloane's watching [34:08] Storyboarding a sourcing trip like a movie — more on this in our Pre-Loved episode with handbag seller Fashionica on her Japan sourcing trip [37:25] Pre-Loved's second annual Secondhand Sellers Income Survey — and what we'll dig into next time LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod  

Today we're chatting with Gianna Corvino — the founder of The New York Archive, which has just opened The New York Archive Collective, a brand-new flagship vintage collective in the heart of Chelsea. Gianna is a vintage shoe specialist turned store owner, and I'm so excited for you to hear how she went from playing dress-up in her mom's closet to curating 15 vintage vendors – across the range of the fashion dress up closet – under one roof. Gianna grew up in New York City, completely enamored with her mother's shoe collection — pink, sparkly heels that felt like the coolest thing in the world to a little girl. That early love of nostalgia, accessories, and on-screen icons from movies like 13 Going on 30 and The Devil Wears Prada eventually became the foundation for The New York Archive, which Gianna started as a portfolio project while applying to fashion school. Amidst starting the archive, though, her story took a wild turn — after a startup equity deal fell through she felt the push to go all-in on vintage. She landed her first Manhattan Vintage Show spot, started sourcing pieces for celebrity stylists and television shows, and built a devoted online community through sharing radically transparent "building in public" content on social media.  Just one week ago, Gianna opened the doors to The New York Archive Collective — a brick-and-mortar space she built out with her building's handyman, Angel and with help from his son, almost entirely through DIY, donations, and Facebook Marketplace finds. On today's episode, we get into all of it — why the vintage shoe niche was a space nobody else was filling, the holy grail hunting and sourcing stories – including for pieces worn on the recent Love Story show about Carolyn Besette Kennedy, and what it's like to watch your wildest dream become a physical space you can actually stand in. Let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [4:46] Gianna grew up in New York City, completely enamored with her mother's shoe collection. [10:11] Why she talked herself out of fashion and into business school instead  [15:43] A DM that changed everything [18:01] Starting NY Archive as a portfolio project while applying to fashion school. [23:11] Landing her first Manhattan Vintage Show spot — and nearly selling out her inventory  [26:14] Working on stylist pulls for  the recent Love Story show about Carolyn Besette Kennedy. [32:47] Choosing to specialize in vintage shoes when no one else was. [33:26] Her love of Manolo Blahnik — and wanting to democratize luxury through vintage  [35:46] "Building in public" by sharing content on social media about her founder journey [39:17] Making the leap from apartment showroom to brick-and-mortar  [46:22] Designing The New York Archive Collective on a DIY budget  [51:52] Her personal vintage collection — the pieces she keeps and why  [53:57] Holy grail hunting and tracking down signed Manolos  EPISODE MENTIONS:  The NY Archive @thenyarchive NY Archive on TikTok Phoebe Gates Manhattan Vintage Show Chloe Felopolus The Millennial Decorator  Vintage of Saints LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod  SPECIAL THANKS:  A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible! Patty Weber Kathy Brand Lisa of Queenie & Pearl Lydia Welp Michael A. Megan Morris Jennifer Alana Rivero Jerrica Yasumura Amanda Hale  

Today we're chatting with Kathleen Schaaf — the owner of Meow Vintage, located right in the heart of Retro Row in Long Beach, California. Kathleen is a vintage legend, someone who has been doing it for a long time, and doing it her way, and I'm so excited for you to hear her stories from four decades in the business. Kathleen grew up thrifting with her mom, raiding her aunt's hand-me-downs in elementary school, and haunting the cheap, treasure-packed shops of downtown Long Beach before anyone was calling it a "vintage scene". She opened Meow Vintage in 1986 — nearly forty years ago — and has been a fixture of vintage ever since. But Kathleen's story goes so much deeper. She's a dead stock hunter — crisscrossing the country before the internet even existed, cold-calling merchants and slipping into back rooms and dusty attics from New Mexico to Massachusetts, building relationships with dealers and shop owners that have now spanned three generations. And along the way, she built a parallel career outfitting film and television — from Roseanne and Seinfeld all the way to Stranger Things. On today's episode, we get into all of it, plus what forty years in the business has taught her about people, quality, and the difference between loving vintage and just selling it. All that and more! Let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [5:05] Kathleen grew up thrifting and accumulated a lot of great vintage. [6:22] The "aha" moment where Kathleen realized she could be a vintage dealer — buying an entire rack of deadstock 60s pointy flats  [9:51] She quickly became a deadstock hunter, criss-crossing the country looking for "new old" stock. [13:36] Opening Meow Vintage in 1986 on Retro Row in Long Beach,  [16:06] Crisscrossing the country before the internet even existed, digging for deadstock. [20:36] What the vintage landscape looked like when she opened  [26:52] She built a parallel career outfitting film and television [36:26] How the vintage industry has changed over the years [43:41] Reflections on Brimfield — what's changed, what hasn't, and the chaos that's part of it. EPISODE MENTIONS:  Meow Vintage @meowvintagelb Larry from Hellers Cafe  Amy Parris Pickwick Vintage Rin Tanaka's books Liz Baca Shirley Kurata LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod  SPECIAL THANKS:  A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible! Patty Weber Kathy Brand Lisa of Queenie & Pearl Lydia Welp Michael A. Megan Morris Jennifer Alana Rivero Jerrica Yasumura Amanda Hale

Today we're chatting with Lexis Zenobia , a full-time artist and vintage dealer, the owner of Ladies of the Loon — which is doing something really unique – this is a vintage brand that has taken a truly singular path in the resale world, one paved entirely in vintage mohair. A little background, Lexis grew up in Wisconsin, and came of age in Milwaukee's vintage scene. She launched a fashion photography business at 18, and spent several years on the road in an RV, selling vintage out of the back and collecting pieces across the American West.  But it wasn't until she became the steward of a one-of-a-kind vintage mohair collection that everything changed for Lexis. Today, you're going to hear the story of a find beyond her wildest dreams: thousands of vintage and hand-knit mohair pieces, spanning from the 1920s onward, capes, gowns, skirts, sweaters — including a collection of nearly 200 hand-knit Italian cardigans from the 1950s and 60s. This is a collection so significant, it should be shown in a gallery. On today's episode, we get into all of it: how a sleepless night and a full moon set this whole thing in motion, why Lexi made the bold decision to sell off her entire existing inventory and go all in on mohair, what makes this textile so special to photograph and to wear, and the pieces — that sold in minutes which she still thinks about. All that and more! Let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [5:16] Early memories of Lexis vintage shopping with her mom, including an antique store in a rural barn. [7:50] Her career in vintage actually started with fashion photography. [11:04] She originally became a vintage dealer because she needed to do a big closet cleanout, and it accidentally launched a decade-long career.  [14:31] How COVID reshaped the business  [18:16] How she became the steward of a one-of-a-kind vintage mohair collection, spanning from the 1920s onward. [26:35] Why vintage mohair is a special textile, nicknamed "the diamond fiber" [29:39] The Italian handknit mohair cardigans  [31:08] On the decision to wholesale her existing collection and focus singularly on vintage mohair.  [37:44] Her dream to show the mohair collection in a gallery  [41:05] How to care for vintage mohair  [47:18] The two mohair pieces that sold in minutes and that she still thinks about  [52:46] On her personal style and memorable pieces EPISODE MENTIONS:  Ladies of the Loon Midwest Vintage Flea SUDESTADA Gallery "Wool Skirts," an exhibition of one woman's 40-year thrift-store collection, reveals a rich tapestry of clothing manufacturing and feminist history. – The New York Times The Black Web dress Bleu Boy Vintage Thank You Vintage   LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod    SPECIAL THANKS:  A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible! Patty Weber Kathy Brand Lisa of Queenie & Pearl Lydia Welp Michael A. Megan Morris Jennifer Alana Rivero Jerrica Yasumura Amanda Hale

Today we're chatting with Rachel Koffsky Parker, Senior Vice President and International Head of Department for Handbags and Accessories at Christie's auction house — one of the most recognized voices in the global luxury handbag market and, an auctioneer herself, having taken handbag sales in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong. After internships at the Met and the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Rachel found her way to Christie's in 2014, just as handbags were becoming a formalized auctionhouse category. Since, she has helped build the handbag category from the ground up, growing into what is now one of the most strategically important departments in the house — responsible for bringing in 12% of all new Christie's clients and selling in excess of forty million dollars in handbags worldwide last year alone. Over the last decade plus, she's brought the first single-owner handbag collections to market in both Milan and Paris, set world auction records for Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci, and helped transform the way an entire generation of collectors thinks about handbags — not just as accessories, but as objects with history, rarity, provenance, and serious investment value. On today's episode, we get into all of it: how she built her expertise by cataloging up to a hundred bags a week, what actually drives value at auction, the record-breaking lots that still give her chills, and why a little wear and patina has gone from a liability to a badge of honor in the eyes of today's collectors. All that and more! Let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [4:00] Rachel grew up obsessed with Lucky Magazine, loving all things fashion and handbags.  [6:35] How her love of luxury handbags led to a career in the auction house.  [9:16] The first Christie's auction to include handbags was in 1978, but it wasn't until 2014 that handbags became a formalized category at the house.  [10:25] Handbags now bring in 12% of all new Christie's clients, making it one of the most strategically important departments in the house.  [12:20] Christie's customers began to understand handbags as an asset class.  [18:06] What drives pre-sale estimates, and what provenance means in the auction world   [23:55] Christie's world-record handbag auctions [31:43] Current trends on the secondary luxury market  [36:17] The upcoming Christie's luxury week sale with over 250 lots  [38:10] What goes into producing an auction  [40:32] Rachel's Holy Grail lot  [42:22] The personal pieces Rachel will never part with  EPISODE MENTIONS:  Christie's @christiesinc @christieshandbags Yayoi Kusama x Louis Vuitton pumpkin bag  Hermès Kelly Doll  Upcoming Handbag auction: 28 May to 11 June.  LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod  SPECIAL THANKS:  A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible! Patty Weber Kathy Brand Lisa of Queenie & Pearl Lydia Welp Michael A. Megan Morris Jennifer Alana Rivero Jerrica Yasumura Amanda Hale

 Today we're chatting with Brooke of Daisy and Stella Vintage — a collector, seller, and curator who has been living and breathing vintage since 1999, and more recently, became the founder of the Twin Cities True Vintage Show. Brooke grew up in Wisconsin, where her mom sold antique dolls, and she spent a lot of time in auction houses and antique malls and the vintage shops on State Street in Madison. By college, she had a name for her future vintage shop picked out — Daisy and Stella, but it would be some time before she dove fully into her lifelong dream. Today, Daisy and Stella is a deeply specialized shop focused on Victorian fashion through the 1930s — the era of leg-of-mutton sleeves, hand-beaded gowns, corset covers, and construction so intricate it would cost thousands to replicate today. Brooke has built a reputation as one of the go-to experts in this niche, sourcing pieces through estate sales, online auctions, and a growing network of collectors and friends who know exactly what she's looking for. In 2023, she took that expertise and turned it into something bigger: the Twin Cities True Vintage Show, a curated, experience-driven vintage event where everything sold on the floor is 50 years old or older, and shoppers dress in vintage – we've covered the incredible street style in Pre-Loved's newsletter this spring! On today's episode, we get into all of it: how she found her niche and why narrowing down was the best thing she ever did for her business, and what it takes to build a vintage show that draws buyers and dealers from the coasts — and internationally — to the Midwest for one-of-a-kind finds. Let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [4:35] Brooke grew up in Wisconsin, where her mom sold antique dolls, and she spent a lot of time in auction houses, antique malls and vintage shops. [5:23] The vintage landscape of the late 90s and early 2000s  [8:58] Starting a vintage shop was a lifelong dream for Brooke – one long in the making. [14:09] Daisy and Stella is a deeply specialized shop focused on Victorian fashion through the 1930s. [17:23] What's most in demand right now from Victorian through 1930s  [22:47] Brooke has tried many resale platforms over the years – most recently livestreaming on Whatnot.  [25:08] Educating customers about pieces that are extremely old and rare.  [28:00] The piece Brooke had in a bin for 10 years before realizing it was a rare, sought-after French label, Boué Soeurs [32:28] Why she started the Twin Cities True Vintage show as a production dedicated to vintage fashion older than 50-years-old. [38:50] The "live mannequin" feature at the Twin Cities True Vintage show  [44:00] What draws buyers and dealers from the coasts and internationally to a Midwest show  [45:00] The most rare and remarkable pieces on the floor at the April Twin Cities True Vintage Show. [48:49] Brooke's own personal collection and favorite vintage pieces. [56:45] The pieces Brooke has sold that she still thinks about — and her vintage bucket list.  EPISODE MENTIONS:  Daisy and Stella Vintage @daisyandstellavintage Twin Cities True Vintage Show @twincitiestruevintageshow Pre-Loved's coverage from the Twin Cities True Vintage Show @timelessvixen Timeless Vixen on Pre-Loved Podcast Dressing History video on "survival bias" Candice at Collecting Dust Glamdiggers Vintage Stay Gold Vintage Threadbare Sturbridge  Goldstein Museum of Design  Cora Violet Walters LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod  SPECIAL THANKS:  A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible! Patty Weber Kathy Brand Lisa of Queenie & Pearl Lydia Welp Michael A. Megan Morris Jennifer Alana Rivero Jerrica Yasumura Amanda Hale

Today we're chatting with Amy Leverton, an LA-based denim trend forecaster, and the author of Denim Dudes, and founder of the Denim Dudes consultancy that has become one of the most trusted voices in the global denim industry. Amy grew up in the West Country of England — but once a year, Glastonbury Festival arrived like a city descending on her doorstep, and that collision of music, personal style, and creative energy lit something in her early on. She made her way to London College of Fashion and then Kingston University, where a project on Levi's quietly revealed what she was actually built for . After working as a denim and casualwear designer, she landed at WGSN, the world's largest trend forecasting agency, in 2007. She spent years building out their denim department, traveling to Coachella and Tokyo to photograph street style, chasing cool kids through markets and down city blocks, and connecting the cultural dots that tell brands what's coming before it arrives. She eventually went independent, and Denim Dudes — which began as a street style book published in 2015 — has since grown into a full consultancy with all the major denim clients you can think of: Levi's, Wrangler, Gap, Guess, Old Navy – you name it. Denim Dudes publishes a seasonal forecast subscription sharing where denim — and the broader culture around it — is headed next. On today's episode, we get into all of it: how vintage styles inform her forecasting, why she thinks the entire fashion industry needs to be paying attention to what's happening in the vintage market, the state of silhouette in an anything-goes era, and the vintage pieces she can't stop thinking about!  Let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [3:57] Amy grew up in the West Country of England — but once a year, Glastonbury Festival arrived like a city descending on her doorstep [8:38] She made her way to London College of Fashion and then Kingston University,  working as a denim and casualwear designer. [11:11] How Amy developed a specialty in denim. [13:01] In 2007, she landed at WGSN, the world's largest trend forecasting agency, and spent years building out their denim department. [16:43] How a denim trend forecaster studies the trends and looks ahead at what's to come, while looking back at vintage. [22:00] Fashion is cyclical — Amy reflects on watching trends she lived through the first time come back around, and why a good trend forecaster can never be jaded about it.  [23:10] How vintage markets are a leading indicator for trend forecasters [28:08] Vintage is becoming the biggest driver of the mainstream fashion industry.  [32:01] On denim silhouettes and trend cycles, and the "anything goes" era of denim  [41:53] Amy's vintage denim collection. EPISODE MENTIONS:  Denim Dudes @denimdudes @denimdudes on TikTok WGSN Trend Forecasting Silver Lake Flea Levi's RED Please and Thank You Store Saleem Ghanchi The Bearded Beagle LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod  SPECIAL THANKS:  A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible! Patty Weber Kathy Brand Lisa of Queenie & Pearl Lydia Welp Michael A. Megan Morris Jennifer Alana Rivero Jerrica Yasumura Amanda Hale  

This month on Pre-Loved, we're launching something new: the Resale Report, a monthly special podcast segment dedicated to the business of vintage and secondhand — made specifically for the small shop owners, solo sellers, and independent dealers. Joining me is Sloan Middleton-Mann, founder of Business of Vintage, the world's only marketing agency specialized for vintage sellers. Sloan brings a rare combination of industry experience and formal business school training — she went back to get her MBA specifically to translate retail and marketing best practices to the one-of-a-kind space of secondhand, and has been helping vintage sellers build smarter businesses ever since. In our first conversation, we dig into the momentum behind Vintage Store Day — this year on May 16! — the retail holiday founded by Lost Girls Vintage and Rare Form in Chicago, now in its second year with over 1,100 shops participating. We discuss marketing a special event like this one: how to think about social media in a way that actually makes sense for a small vintage business, and what to do after a great event to turn new foot traffic into loyal regulars. Whether you're planning something for May 16th or just trying to build a more sustainable business around the thing you love, this one's for you. Let's talk shop. DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: WEBINAR: Vintage Store Day: Social Media & Press Strategy That Works [6:10] The resale market is growing four times faster than traditional retail — what that means for independent sellers right now [7:35] How social media has made vintage shopping more exciting and more challenging at the same time [10:53] How to make Vintage Store Day a special day, beyond any other Saturday your open your store. [13:13] How to market a special event beyond the flyer [16:55] 46% of resale shoppers now start their secondhand shopping discovery on social media — and what it means for how you think about your content [23:29] Storytelling ideas for Vintage Store Day and other special events [27:15] What to do after the event, and how to turn one great day into lasting momentum [34:13] Why authenticity is what's actually working on social media right now [37:08] How shops can use Vintage Store Day to land local press Thanks for listening to Pre-Loved! You can find me across the internet on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn! 💛 - Emily

Today, we're chatting with Nica, the founder behind FashioNica — a live-streamed marketplace for curated pre-loved designer handbags, jewelry, and watches that has built one of the most devoted communities in the luxury resale space. Every Thursday at 7 p.m. Pacific, Nica drops a new collection, but the real magic happens in the thirty minutes before that, when she goes live on Instagram to show off what she found that week — it's basically a FaceTime call with a few thousand of your most handbag-obsessed girlfriends to see what Nica found this week. Each drop, her bags routinely sell out in under two minutes. Nica grew up thrifting, scanning the racks at Goodwill and Salvation Army for the trends she'd clock at Forever 21, where she worked after school. She developed a sharp eye early — and, as it turned out, an even sharper instinct for which pieces were worth holding onto. A Nordstrom employee discount and a Chloé backpack were her gateway into designer pieces. After that, there was no going back — though she's never really considered buying new when pre-loved exists. What started as a passion project filmed on an iPhone, with bags laid out all over her apartment, has grown into a full operation with a team, a warehouse, international sourcing trips, and a major pop-up event — FashioNica Fest — that drew hundreds of community members to a studio full of bags she'd personally sourced in Japan.  On today's episode, we get into all of it — how Nica sources the pieces that end up in your cart, the art of the Thursday night drop, and why she believes a bag with a little wear is always going to be more interesting than one that's never left the store.  Let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [6:04] Nica got into thrifting at the Goodwill and Salvation Army in high school. [9:45] How she got into designer handbags during her time working at Nordstrom. [12:40] How she landed styling work on celebrity cover shoots by sliding into DMs.  [17:10] Why she started creating fashion content on TikTok.  [22:31] Investing $15,000 into an early inventory buy. [27:08] Prepping for a weekly bag drop. [34:25] Growing the team behind FashioNica.  [34:25] Growing the team behind FashioNica. [37:21] Designer bag sourcing trips in Paris and Japan.  [39:15] Planning FashioNica Fest: the first major pop-up, born from a sourcing trip.  [44:24] Nica's personal bag collection.  [48:47] Watching Jane Birkin's original Birkin sell at auction for $10 million.  EPISODE MENTIONS:  FashioNica.com @xofashionica FashioNica on TikTok Nica's YouTube Jenn Im - Youtube Aya Kanai @fashionica.shop - "behind the bag drop" secret Instagram LET'S CONNECT:  📸Instagram: @emilymstochl 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/  🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod  SPECIAL THANKS:  A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible! Patty Weber Kathy Brand Lisa of Queenie & Pearl Lydia Welp Michael A. Megan Morris Jennifer Alana Rivero Jerrica Yasumura Amanda Hale