Even though vintage fashion has blown up over the last five years, store owners like Carolyn Carrington know the best way to wear vintage clothing and accessories is to mix in something current. And Carrington, who is the cofounder and CEO of The Vintage Label in downtown Denver, knows just how to hit the right balance between vintage and modern—as she proves with a new jewelry line addition to her store.
Carrington caught the vintage bug early. Before vintage fashion became the cultural phenomenon it is today, she founded TVL in Houston, Texas in 2016. After three years of experiencing one too many Gulf Coast hurricanes, she decided it was time to rethink her home base. Since Carrington already had close ties to Colorado, including clientele, she decided to relocate to Denver in 2019. She found a cozy location inside the Dairy Block but moved last year into a 2,000-square-foot space in one of Denver’s historic buildings—a perfect complement to her vintage business. The boutique will officially be one year old on March 23.
An avid clothing and accessories collector, Carrington began amassing her vintage wares in her late teens and early 20s. She finds pieces through personal contacts as well as auctions and estate sales. Most of her collection spans the late 1950s to the 1990s and features top designers like Chanel, Courrèges, Prada, Gucci, and Galanos. The store’s extensive range of curated vintage designer clothing and accessories means it’s the ideal place to find anything from a rare couture gown to a colorful printed silk scarf.
But one new thing that Carrington opted to bring into the store is her own recently launched capsule collection of hat jewelry, made in collaboration with Denver-based jewelry designer Cat Janiga. The Grays Peak Collection includes two chains plus five interchangeable charms, all in 18-karat antiqued gold over solid brass and accented with black Austrian crystals and black onyx stones. This mix-and-match, limited- edition collection can dress up a winter felt fedora or a summer straw Panama hat and even be worn as a regular necklace.
Clients can either bring in their own hat or—better yet—select one by GiGi Pip, the hat line carried at TVL (and another modern addition to the store). Carrington or someone on her team will help style both the hat and jewelry. “We personally fit clients with their ideal hat and assist with customizing the jewelry at our hat bar,” explains Carrington. It’s the perfect way to incorporate something new with your favorite vintage piece.
