Some people collect stamps. Others collect shoes. Me? I collect vintage clothes. And the way I find them is by following my nose ~ literally. I can’t help but sniff out vintage wherever I go. Markets, op shops, garage sales ~ if it smells like mothballs and magic, I’m there!

My love of vintage isn’t just about the clothes, though. It’s about the feel. The way fabric holds memories. The way a retro cut hugs differently than fast fashion ever will. The way an old handbag or brooch carries whispers of nights out long before I was born.

Valmai Vintage ~ my little online business (with the occasional market stall) is named after my nana, Valmai. She was a woman of grace and kindness, always beautifully dressed, always polished, always with that unmistakable lingering scent of Red Door perfume trailing behind her. To me, that scent is the smell of elegance, of pride in presentation and of a woman who knew her worth. Oh I loved my nana ♡

When I’m digging through racks of second-hand clothes or sniffing treasures at a market, I feel like I’m chasing her shadow in the best way. Nana would never leave the house without looking her best and I think that spirit lives on in the way I hunt for pieces that make humans feel beautiful, bold, or just themselves ♡

Vintage isn’t just about style, it’s about sustainability. It’s giving new life to things that already have a story, instead of feeding into the endless churn of fast fashion. It’s choosing pieces that were made to last and often already outlasted whole trends. (Oh, did I tell you I used to run a clothing library called Lost Property? I’ll save that story for another post…)

So yeah, maybe I’m a little obsessed. But every time I find a 70s maxi dress that looks like freedom, or a pair of earrings that scream disco, or a jacket with more character development than half the shows on Netflix ~ I know I’m in the right place.

Valmai Vintage is more than a shop for me. It’s a way to honour my nana, to share my passion and to remind humans that beauty doesn’t have to be brand new.

Sometimes, it just needs to be rediscovered ♡

I love you nana, see you in the morning ♡

♡ Rain