I turn the street corner, and walk into a yard towards the entrance of the Fleetville Vintage Emporium. I feel as if I’ve entered a De Chirico painting as I approach a collection of half-assembled mannequins and an arrangement of old Singer sewing machines.
I am greeted by a sales assistant as I step into the emporium. Several movie and pop art prints decorate the wall behind her. The radio is playing an Elvis tune taking me right back to the seventies. Suddenly the colour dial seems to have turned up a few notches, and there before me is a vast and wonderfully eclectic collection of vintage accessories, clothing, books, vinyl and art.
I almost feel disconnected from the 21st century, as if caught in a time warp, bombarded by random pieces of furniture, doll’s houses, glass cabinets filled with crystal-cut champagne glasses chock-full with costume jewellery.
There are over 50 vendors in this space and given the vast quantity of paraphernalia, each unit is a little topsy-turvy and merges into the other;
I enjoy having to rummage around and look closely to find things of interest.
There is something for everybody and among my favourite collectables are: manual typewriters, vintage 35mm cameras and sequined clutch handbags; I try on a pair of silver strappy sandals, but alas, they’re too small!
I flick through a book on fashion illustration and start chatting with a trader who is busy tidying; he tells me about his apprenticeship in men’s tailoring in his younger days. It’s a pleasure to listen to some of his anecdotes about learning his craft in London in the late sixties. His clothing is neatly arranged around a huge spiral stand in the middle of his unit, full with colourful shirts, jackets and ties.
Toward the back is a huge selection of vinyl records stored in cardboard boxes, above them hang black and white photos of music legends; an unusual one of Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten jamming together catches my eye.
As I leave, I spot a cylindrical mustard and white lampshade with orange patterns running across it straight out of 1978! I smile, relieved that some things are destined to stay in the past!
