Welcome to our New Website series, where twice a month we’ll feature an e-retailer that we love and know our readers will too. Whether it’s an old but under-the-radar favorite or a newly launched label, you’ll want to report back to your friends with the findings (or maybe keep them to yourself)!
If you love vintage but not the treasure hunt often associated with finding the best pieces, you’re not alone. Leaving us to think, Wouldn’t it be great if there was, say, a website you could trust to sell the best pieces spanning multiple countries? Enter Bonsergent Studio, the e-shop that curates clothing and accessories “from the past that can [and should] be worn today” and is based in both Paris and Barcelona. From statement jewelry to timeless knits and even Céline shoes, the site is the treasure chest you don’t have to trek to find. To give you more of an in-depth look at what we love about the site, we recently chatted Ben and Cristian, co-founders of Bonsergent Studio, and they answered all of our pressing questions.
Scroll through to read the full interview, and then continue to shop our top picks from Bonsergent Studio!
WHO WHAT WEAR: Can you give us a brief history of how, when, and why you launched your site?
BONSERGENT STUDIO: It’s really important to try to work doing things you love, so we spent a long time buying and collecting items with this project in mind; before we even got started, we wanted to be ready. The idea has always been to offer women a fresh way to dress and an alternative to fast fashion, with good-quality items from the past that can be worn today. When we got all the clothes for our first collection together, we did the photo shoots using our friends as models, and voilà: Bonsergent Studio was born this year in Paris, where we are based most of the year. This is only really the beginning. We’re learning by doing and have a lot of things in mind, so there’s still a lot to come, like our own clothing line. It’s something we’d love to do.
WWW: Your site is self-described as an internet platform where you can find clothes and accessories made with savoir-faire and good materials—can you elaborate on what that means for our readers?
BS: The quality of each piece is essential to us, especially now that most companies are looking for cheaper ways to manufacture, no matter where or how, so it’s our biggest priority.
We’re based in France, where savoir-faire originated and has always been a strong cultural concept, but even here you can see that these values are slowly being lost.
We’re passionate about people who make things, who create, who hand-craft and do what they love, and we know how difficult it is to survive in this industry, which always moves so quickly.
WWW: How do you go about sourcing pieces you sell? Are there any struggles that go along with selling all one-of-a-kind items?
BS: It’s hard work finding pieces that meet our criteria—beautifully designed shapes, great condition, good quality, and also where the item was made. We have to travel a lot and go to all sorts of places to get everything we need for our collections.
A problem with selling one-of-a-kind items is that we can’t satisfy everyone—it’s very rare to find more than one of each piece. Also, it takes more preparation because every time we do a shoot for something, when we sell it, it’s gone, and we have to start all over again.
The counterpoint is that it keeps us being creative, but it can be a little sad to sell something sometimes because every piece has a story for us.
WWW: What brands or types of items have you found hold the best value over time?
BS: Any piece made in a responsible way with good-quality materials will hold its value over time. We see tons of clothes every time we are out buying for the shop, and it’s scary to see the way and the quantity that people are consuming today. Products are made to use once and throw away, items that make you wonder how they can be comfortable to wear and why they were even produced. Nowadays finding good quality clothes is like finding a needle in a haystack, but when you find those kinds of pieces, you really notice the difference, so buying responsibly and buying quality is always a good investment.
WWW: How does social media play into your business, if at all?
BS: Social media is a big basis for what we do. We started this project on Instagram and through it have met amazing people from all over the world.
It’s a playful and easy way to get in touch with our customers, and we love it. It’s rewarding to see how far-reaching our work can be.
WWW: What would you say is the number one basic every girl should own before all else?
BS: A nice pair of shoes is a must. Hand-braided mules are a great example; we still have some available in our online store, but they’re selling fast, so you’ll have to get in quick! They can really make an outfit.
WWW: What makes Bonsergent Studio different from other e-retailers and brands?
BS: For us, Bonsergent Studio isn’t just a shop. It’s about doing what we love, offering things that we would wear ourselves, that we would buy, and being able to do it in the way that we want to.
We are Bonsergent Studio, which makes it really satisfying to see that people understand the concept we have. The positive feedback we’re getting only helps us to keep building this project and this community, because this is only the beginning.
Shop our picks from Bonsergent Studio:
Who would've thought that a basket could be so chic?
A pop of color to liven up your winter wardrobe.
Elevate your beach attire this travel season with this chic bamboo bag.
These day-to-night shoes can be perfectly paired with anything from jeans to a dress.
A little knit will be so easy to pack for your next tropical vacation.
These are the ideal earrings to pair with jeans and a tee for an elevated casual look.
This belt is what dreams are made of.
Pro tip: It doubles as a bracelet!
Bored of the mules you see everywhere? Try this statement pair.
Do you have any favorite sites you’d like to see featured next? Share them with us in the comments!
Opening Image: Collage Vintage
