Vintage Style, Not Vintage Values
I wrote a variation of this while working on Dandy Wellington’s Fascinating Voyage for Ahoy Vintage Cruises and have adapted it to also represent our Toronto and GTA events.
We are holding vintage themed events but we do not condone vintage beliefs systems.
So why hold vintage themed events?
We want to approach these events in the spirit of responsible vintage. These events are not about nostalgia for “better days” but about fashion, style, music, culture, and self expression.
We acknowledge that we benefit fundamentally from a colonial system that was built on the backs of marginalized groups. We want to recognize the enduring presence and resilience of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, as well as L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+, all of whom have been oppressed by vintage value systems.
Today, we want to do everything we can to make everyone feel welcome, and particularly people from these groups.
So much of the vintage culture that we admire today has been shaped by the incredible talents of Black artists, meanwhile these people have lived with pervasive racism, segregation, oppression, and fear of violence and still do today. And they are not the only group to experience prejudice and persecution.
This acknowledgement is a reminder that we are all accountable to these relationships and must work harder to make improvements both now and in the future. We are trying to do better and we know we have a lot more work ahead of us.
Please join us in this acknowledgement and commitment to continuous recognition and improvement, both within the vintage community and in all parts of our lives.
#VintageStyleNotVintageValues