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On the first day of our ‘Mad about Vintage’ series, we are looking at exactly how Brick Lane became an internationally renowned area for vintage fashion. 

Brick Lane is a haven for vintage lovers. Row upon row of vintage shops seem to go on forever, while markets hidden in every nook and cranny offer vintage treasures beyond your wildest dreams.

The turn of the millennium saw vintage becoming a booming industry, as many decades of the previous millennium became fashionable. Markets in the East End have become famous worldwide as a place to source objects from the past.

But Brick Lane’s position as a vintage haven is built on its past. The rich melting pot that is the East End has meant that the street has had a rich and colourful history, very much reminiscent in the clothing on offer. The landscape that has become iconic has its beginning as early as the sixteenth century, twisting and turning right up until the present day.

Flea markets have slowly evolved into specialised sellers, while gentrification of the East has turned it into the icon it is today. In a somewhat ironic twist, the attempt to bring East London into the future has turned Brick Lane into a collection of the past.

Follow our ‘Mad about Vintage’ series this week to find out more about the eclectic world of vintage fashion. #MadAboutVintage