If you know me, you know I had the vintage bug before it was ~cool~ (but it’s always been cool… right?). I first learned about A Current Affair when I lived in LA and was interning at HATCh Inc.’s showroom in the Cooper Design Space. A Current Affair is a pop-up vintage market that sets up shop three times a year in LA and twice a year in New York. ACA features over 60 vintage vendors and private dealers from all over the world. As described on their website, the garments and accessories at their shows range from “rare denim and American workwear to avant garde design pieces to luxury staples from the likes of Chanel and Hermes.” And yes – it’s as amazing as it sounds. I first ventured to the LA show in December 2015 and was overwhelmed by the sheer volume and wide range of amazing pieces and interesting shoppers! My first time, I snagged a vintage Gucci belt for $125 and this sweet 70s floral dress (pictured).
photo by the ever-so-talented sweetheart Sam Dameshek.
As I was coming down from my European vintage shopping high (Vintage Moncler jackets for under £200?!) I decided it was time for me to figure out the next ACA show I wanted to go to and look into booking tickets. Imagine my surprise upon finding out that ACA’s first ever bay area show was scheduled and coming up! I’m pretty sure I screamed, and I’m pretty sure not even Christmas gets me as excited as I was when I realized this. I quickly bought tickets and told my mother to keep her day wide open.
The show was hosted at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond and the space was absolutely perfect. Doors opened at 10 am and I made sure we were there! As expected, the displays and the energy were truly inspiring and the notion of leaving was a tough one for me to wrap my head around. The most interesting part of the show was how different it was from the one I had previously attended; specifically, there were far fewer vendors with vintage couture. This ended up working out great for me because I wasn’t looking to drop $2500 on a Flap Bag. While vendors were from all over, many were local which also was exciting because I got to get vibes from different vendors, meet the cool guys and gals working there, and take their cards to check out their websites and brick and mortar locations later.
ACA can be overwhelming, especially if you have no idea what you’re looking for! While it’s always important to leave room for those special, “I didn’t know I needed this” finds, I recommend going in with a short list of specific things you’re looking for. It makes the process far easier when you’re going through a list, and there’s no better feeling than successfully finding exactly what you wanted. Also, everyone there is super friendly and the community vibes are undeniable. Many of the vendors know each other and are friends, so if you need help finding that one specific thing, don’t hesitate to ask! I found one of my “to-get” items that exact way. I ended up with a few amazing pieces that I’ve already been wearing and styling. Keep your eyes tuned for future posts featuring my ACA finds!
I did my best to whip out my camera for dope shots and pieces, but I was a girl on a mission! That being said, check out some of my favorite shots below.
These amazing pieces were featured at Creative Growth’s booth. Creative Growth is a totally rad nonprofit based in Oakland that provides opportunities for artists with disabilities. Learn more about their amazing work and their talented artists here! Pom Pom sweater by Maureen Clay.