VoTW: Hairy Mary

The cool cat couple behind Hairy Mary's Vintage tells an interesting story of their journey into the world of the "downtown vintage scene" when they first set up shop on the Lower East Side back in 2005. And while their recent announcement tells a lot about the current state of retail and the hipness of the "pop-up" shop, it's a super swell story that has a lot of goodies in store for vintage-hunters who are looking for those killer sources for unbeatable vintage finds.
A&F: Who is "Hairy Mary"?

Hairy Mary: Weeeeell, it started off as an inside joke and I guess the joke ended up on me. **laugh**

A&F: Well if you're not going to disclose the real Hairy Mary, tell us about the company.

Hairy Mary: Hairy Mary carries original and reworked vintage pieces from Victorian to 1990's. Can you believe the 90's are vintage already! Most of our stuff is for women although we do have a new men's collection. We carry clothing, shoes, bags, hats, jewelry and other accessories. Our reworked pieces are one of a kind creations.

A&F: What's your style?

Hairy Mary: Fun, funky and creative. I'd say, the exact opposite of classic. We have an eclectic collection which includes stuff for work, play, party, everyday… really something for any occasion.

A&F: How did you get into vintage?
Hairy Mary: It all started in London as a teenager. That's when I got interested in vintage. It started getting more serious when I moved to NYC. My partner Carl Mateo and I sold at the Chelsea Flea for ten years then we opened a store in the Lower East Side. Just recently we closed the shop with the intention of going back to the flea scene. I'd lived in Williamsburg for a while and remembered Artists & Fleas and knew it would be a great fit!

A&F: What is your plan for the future?
Hairy Mary: For now we're interested in putting more time in the creative design aspect of the business and building up the reworked vintage collection. In general, we want to continue developing the brand and see where it takes us and spend more time painting and making music.