On the phone with: WingS vintage

Wings vintage is a vintage clothing retailer with a classic goodwill American thrift store vibe. The business owner Megan Wing started as a Depop shop in 2020 and since then the business has grown to be a huge success. I had the pleasure of speaking to Megan over the phone to find out about the origin of the business.

Megan says she grew up going to east London thrift stores and was raised on the idea that you look after what you’ve already got. Family is a big aspect of Megan’s life and business. Her father, Peter Gordon Wing was one of the largest UK charity donors before he sadly passed away. Megan knew she wanted to continue Peter’s charitable legacy after he died, but wasn’t quite sure how. As a drama student, Megan told me she wasn’t aware her life would take a different direction. However, after the passing of her dad, she wanted to be around to support her mum while also carrying on the Wing legacy. Megan has successfully continued the impressive family reputation that her father started and turned it into something modern and personal to her. Wings Vintage is now a beaming business with

Wings Vintage’s first ever event was ‘fill a bag for £10’ which was a big success. After that, they moved onto bargain basements which has continued to grow in popularity. They now host events every month all over the country, where other sustainable small businesses get together in a market style set up. All the Wings Vintage clothing at these events is £5 and underextremely affordable! Megan told me the reason she makes her items so affordable is to make it easier for young people to be able to pick up trendy pieces without having to fork out all their money in Urban Outfitters. Part of the reason Megan started the business was to give young people access to cheap clothing that doesn’t harm the planet. She told me a touching story about a 16 year old girl that had messaged Megan privately about wanting to come to a Wings event but wasn’t able to attend on the day, After hearing this, Megan arranged a meeting with the girl, so she didn’t have to miss out on grabbing some great vintage pieces. Megan told me the girl turned up with her 5 sisters and left teary eyed, as she was so overwhelmed with what she had managed to buy with her limited budget. We all know the pressure that can be felt as a young person. Wings Vintage tackles this by making cool

Megan says its important for her and her brand to cherish the working class culture involved in 2nd hand shopping, in order to keep the brand authentic and their prices definitely reflect this!

Megan describes Wings Vintage’s events as a creative, safe space where everyone is welcome. One thing she said she values when hosting events is inclusiveness and warmth, which is why she holds a brief meeting between her and the other stall holders before each event to ensure everyone creates an inviting environment. Wings events are a great place to discover new brands that you’ve probably not heard of before and purchase some one of a kind pieces. Check out their website https://www. wingsvintage.co.uk or their instagram @wingsvintage for their next event.

Finally, I asked Megan if she had any advice for those of us who want to reduce/stop their fast fashion consumption. Here’s what she had to say:

“If you see a trending item on Tiktok for example, look to see if anyone is selling it 2nd hand on Vinted or Depop- the majority of the time someone will be. Or, try to recreate it, DIY something, explore the charity shops and look at what you’ve already got lying around, maybe you could upcycle what you already have in your wardrobe. Another great alternative is to share with your friends. Resist temptation and be original!”.