Three cheers to Rellik, West London’s vintage mecca at the bottom of the Trellick Tower, which is celebrating its 25th birthday. The shop is full of 1990s Vivienne Westwood, 2000s Chanel, Margiela, Alaïa, Comme — you name it, really. Just ask regular Kate Moss.
Times have changed since 1999, when Fiona Scott, Claire Stansfield and Steven Philip, banded together and opened its doors. “When the store opened, there were only a few vintage shops in London — now there are hundreds,” says Scott, who today runs Rellik alone. “It was very much about affordable unique vintage items and that hasn’t changed. But the clothes we sell have now we are 25 years further into the future.”
It’s the industry’s worst kept secret that A-listers and their stylists lean on Rellik to perfect an archive look for red carpets and party-wear alike. “We have always been discreet about our customers, including the famous ones,” Stuart says. But some moments have still gone down in the books.
“We opened late for Lady Gaga, once, after she was recording on Jonathan Ross [in 2011]. She turned up with the paparazzi in tow,” she says. “She took total control of the situation and told them to let her shop first and then she’d give them their photo opportunity afterwards.”
“Another fun moment was when Kate Moss was in the shop and it was empty. We were chatting and when a customer came to the door she opened it for them. It took a while for the customer to realise what had happened.”
These stories tumble out of Stuart. She “used to love it when Björk would come to see us on the way to or from the airport” and well remembers one late night call from a taxi driver asking if they would stay open a little longer into the night. “I’d usually say no but the way he asked had me intrigued,” she says. “ So I did and he dropped off Penélope Cruz. She came back a few weeks later with her sister.”
How has it stayed at the top of the game for a quarter century? Stuart puts it down to experience — she ran a market stall in the nearby Portobello Market for five years before going brick-and-mortar. “A great garment comes down to great cut and quality and, finally, a great design. Often the simpler the better. I’m always frustrated when a designer has added a detail that is unnecessary and makes it fussier than it needs to be.”
As for her favourite piece in store today? “Victorian Quaker bonnets dating back to 1840.” So, something for everyone.
