A new hidden gem for vintage clothing fans is set to open off the beaten track in Cobden Chambers. Karma Vintage will be opening on Saturday, October 1, on the first floor of a building called Cobden Place.
Owning her own shop has always been a dream for owner Kessia Alderman. She is excited to open the doors to the public and has great plans for what she wants the shop to be like.
"I've always wanted to have my own shop. I had been working here for a year as the regional manager within vintage clothing then we went through a restructure and the owner asked if I wanted to have my own business here," she said.
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"It just happened naturally and wasn't something I had planned to do now but it was an opportunity. I've always been interested in clothes."
The building has had a makeover in recent months with the new cafe, The Hungry Ghost, opening on the ground floor, a new sensory workshop due to open and now the vintage clothing business. The shop is already filled with vintage finds from jeans to jackets with a treasure trove of jewellery and shoes also available.
Kessia explains that what qualifies as vintage has shifted to include numbers from the late 90s and early 00s. So prepare to see some of the decades' best, and more interesting choices, making a reappearance on Nottingham streets. She highlighted that younger generations have grown up with the idea of sustainable shopping so they find it easy to avoid the bigger chains.
"People think the early 2000s isn't classed as vintage but it is. I feel that the early 00s and 90s are the latest decades that you can go to. It's really made a comeback."
She added: "Vintage shopping is a huge thing with younger generations as part of sustainable shopping and climate concern. I feel people are making a more conscious effort to shop sustainably because there is a lot of overconsumption of fast fashion. People appreciate vintage now and the younger generation appreciates older things."
Shopping for the vintage stock has to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the job for Kessia. Although it must be tempting to keep a few vintage gems for herself?
"The stock comes from wholesalers where we go and hand pick the items. I'll have an appointment where I go to a big warehouse to get all everything but I do see the odd vintage piece when I'm shopping too," she said.
"My favourite piece has been something that I have found for myself but I can't do that anymore. My favourite piece upstairs is a denim mixed with leather jacket. I like the more unusual individual piece like a long bright blue pearlescent leather coat where there are different colours. They are slightly different to what you've seen before and are one-off pieces."
Kessia said that getting her head around the legalities of starting the business has been the most difficult part of becoming a shop owner. The shop has been functioning as normal while the makeover takes place around it but the official opening will be the weekend commencing Saturday, October 1.
"I think the legality side of things has been the most difficult in terms of figuring out taxes or what to do if you reach a certain turnover. It's the self-assessment side of things so that has been the most overwhelming part of it."
She added: "This week and last week have been really hands-on so we've been leaving late and starting early to get things finished."
Kessia is planning how she will market the shop as it can sometimes be tricky to get customers into Cobden Chambers which is down an alley off Pelham Street. She is excited to learn as she goes and develop the business as it grows.
"I'm trying to get the word out there but it's going to be a learning curve where I learn as I go. It's going to be great to continue and figure out where to go next or what to do as it grows. I definitely want to go online as well as the shop then I can hopefully merge the two."
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