Photo: Via The Unlucky Rabbit
With all the gal-geared vintage sites popping up left and right, it’s sad, but true, that the guys sometimes get overlooked (sorry dudes). Well, this is no longer the case, thanks to S.F.-based e-shop, The Unlucky Rabbit. Jacqueline Supman and Ryan Garwin are doing the dirty work and bravely scouring San Francisco’s best (and the not-so-best) thrift shops to bring style-savvy fellas what they deserve: hand-picked, one-of-a-kind wares. We caught up with the cutesy duo, who dished on everything from their thrift-sifting secrets to the site’s main mantra. Guys, you’ll wanna bookmark this one!
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Pssst…want more of this thrift-loving (and totally adorable) team? Be sure to visit them this Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at People’s Gallery. They will be hawking their awesome gear (alongside Rebecca of Big Things) at a pre-holiday shopping event.
Tell us about the story behind The Unlucky Rabbit?
“We went through two rounds of scholarly education together at the University of San Francisco, and then the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising this past year. After working together on numerous projects at FIDM, we realized that there was a significant void in the men’s retail market for vintage and independent designer clothing beyond thrift stores. (The) unlucky rabbit fills the gap of telling you what you’re wearing—plus the story behind it with the power of the internet and one hell of a rabbit.”
What is the concept of the site?
“The goal of our site is to inform the masses about the shirt on their back...we hand-pick all of our one-of-a-kind items and make ‘em shine online with good lighting and merchandise history. (The) unlucky rabbit handles the dirty work of sifting through quantity to bring you quality, exclusively.”
What is the inspiration behind the site, and why did you guys choose men’s vintage?
“The inspiration behind the site is human behavior! The way folks are shopping, both from a physical and a mental standpoint, show that they want to connect to what they’re buying and they’re doing it through cyber space. Being avid online shoppers ourselves, we wanted to enhance the buying experience with relevant, useful, and often hilarious details that you don’t get elsewhere. Considering options for men’s vintage apparel is slim — not counting costume party gear or the $100 band shirt — there’s a terrific opportunity to provide wearable, everyday vintage items for men.”
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What are your favorite vintage/thrift haunts in San Francisco?
“The best part of S.F. is that you can take it to the streets — literally. We love going to street fairs in the city, Berkley, Alameda, Treasure Island as well as the neighborhood sales that randomly take place.”
Do you have any vintage shopping secrets you can share with us?
“It’s no secret, but it’s essential: always smell before purchase. ALWAYS. It’s the absolute worst thing ever to lose a new purchase to the B.O. bandit.”
Describe your brand aesthetic?
“We have an unfussy approach to finding the things you’re excited about finding, but rarely do. We search high and low because we believe that clothes are better with character and that our shoppers shouldn’t have to look hard or strain their muscles searching for the perfect Michael Jordan 1993 championship t-shirt. We’ll do that for you.”
What do you guys do when you aren't working on the ULR?
“Work. Rabbit. Repeat.”
What is your site's main mantra?
“Know what you’re wearing.”
What are your favorite men’s shops in the city?
“The Common, Welcome Stranger, Afterlife, NICE COLLECTIVE, Azalea, Cary Lane.”
Do you ever plan on branching out to women styles?
“No, but we are in the early stages of planning a private label line that will be unisex, so stay tuned and remember that the rabbit loves you, ladies!”