The velvet, cashmere and tweed affair.

To all you vintage lovers out there, fear no more, we have Librarian Chic returning to our market stocked with lots of fresh, pre-loved goodies to get your hands on! Armed with her new Autumn/Winter collection of cherished pieces, collector and stylist Mel O'Brian will be ready and waiting to help you find that special something because, let's face it, everyone needs at LEAST one amazing vintage piece in their wardrobe. A fur stole? Tweed jacket? Velvet dress? Cashmere cardigan? If you like the sound of any of these items then save your pennies and meet us at the Nishi on April 12 to scout for something spectacular.

Photo: Martin Ollman

What is it about Hustle&Scout that made you re-apply to be stallholder?

I love Canberra and I love the fact H&S is a night market that offered a little bit more to people who could not find something to buy. This is a real opportunity to contribute to Canberra’s diversity in retail. I would dearly miss engaging with people that come along to the event to literally hustle and scout about.
 

What advice would you give to shoppers who have never bought ‘vintage’?

It needs to be timeless and classified. No one wants to look like they are going to a fancy dress party. A stellar piece of advice is to consider the “price per wear index” and how will you interpret it into your lifestyle.  Remember vintage does not mean overinflated prices it should not break a budget. You also have to be committed to the extra care and laundering that comes with an aged item. Much the same as buying a second hand car you may need to keep up with some of the maintenance yourself.
 

 

Photo: Red Photography

 

Where do you source your unique pieces from?

I love to buy no longer needed or cherished items from people’s wardrobes. It feels like I am keeping the cycle of recycling local and breathing new life into something that was a risk of landfill. Australian vintage resonates with me more than some overseas designers so I am always on the hunt for iconic Australian vintage pieces.
 

What do you love about working with fashion?  What keeps you creatively motivated?

What’s not to love about finding and sharing beautiful pieces of clothing? Timeless catalogued fashion from Librarian Chic is affordable and enables people to individualise their lifestyles and imbue personalities. It’s a real treat to realise that something you found, cleaned and perhaps accessorised is now being worn and loved by someone who perfectly suits it. Collaborations between other local stallholders and fashion lovers keeps me focussed and engaged, that’s pretty motivating as well.
 

What is in store for Librarian Chic for 2014?

I am always looking for new vintage and iconic designer pieces. At the Hustle&Scout market we will be launching our Autumn/Winter range that has a particular focus on colour, lush woollens, French velvet, swing skirts, boleros, capes, fur caps, cashmere twin sets, angora cardigans, plaid dresses and an abundance of fletcher jones tartan and tweed.