The founder of Melbourne-based store Guzzi Archive on how she sources rare vintage finds
IMAGE VIA @GUZZIARCHIVE/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY FASHION JOURNAL
“I think vintage designer business owners buy a lot of what they personally love.”
After moving to Melbourne from Scotland, Georgia Gordon accumulated an impressive collection of archival vintage pieces. She spotted a gap in the resell market and decided to start Guzzi Archive, where she shares her wardrobe with the world.
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For Georgia, it was a natural next step. Her self-professed “severe shopping habit” has helped her amass rare finds from brands like Dior, Versace, Miu Miu and John Galliano. “I think even if I decided to quit the business, I would never be able to stop myself from spending hours a day sourcing,” she says. Below, Georgia tells the story of Guzzi Archive so far.
Tell us about you. How did Guzzi Archive get started?
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I studied a Masters of Fashion Entrepreneurship at RMIT and in our last semester, we had to mock up a business idea. I actually had no interest in starting a business (I did the degree for the qualification to become a buyer) but in that final semester, I had the idea to rent out vintage designer dresses/occasionwear.
I saw a bit of a gap in the market… most places were doing brands like Bec & Bridge [and] Mirror Palais… so I did heaps of sourcing and wanted to actually put the business in motion… so I did. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as well as I had hoped.
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I also had constant anxiety about something being stolen or ruined… [I didn’t want] to completely give up on renting, so I decided to see if a ‘for sale’ drop would push the rentable pieces… I often sourced and sold on my Depop, so I decided to list similar pieces on the site and see how it went.
After promoting it in a couple of TikToks, it went pretty well – [it was] much more profitable than renting! I also adore sourcing stock, so it made sense to keep going.
What’s your sourcing process like? Have you always been a vintage collector?
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Since my late teens, yes! I studied in Edinburgh from age 17 to 21, and that was when I got really into finding designer pieces for better prices. It was around the time Vestiaire Collective was founded, and I was so obsessed.
One of my first designer pieces was a mini Louis Vuitton rucksack I found on Etsy in 2016, swiftly followed by heaps of Vestiaire purchases with my student loan money! A few years after moving to Australia (five years ago – I’m from Scotland), I met my friend Louis, who’s from Japan.
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He basically taught me how to find pieces in Japan and since then, my life has changed. More recently though, I’ve been having more luck sourcing from the UK and Europe.
I’m from Scotland and my family is there so I have a lot of things sent to my parent’s house, and then my mum ships it over in bulk – bless her! It takes much longer to arrive, but the pieces I’ve been finding are very different to what I would find in Japan, so it’s good to have both.
What inspired you to start Guzzi Archive?
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Honestly? The thought that one day I could just be working for myself, and not doing a nine to five forever! Not only that, but I can’t stop shopping. I think even if I decided to quit the business, I would never be able to stop myself from spending hours a day sourcing – I enjoy the hunt too much!
Having said all that, I do work nine to five right now in a job I really adore, so I do both and I’m quite content. It keeps me busy but I love it! Some weeks can be so difficult with the business – no sales, no website traffic, low views on TikTok… then other weeks it’s a whirlwind of sales, emails and praise.
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It’s so up and down, but the ups also inspire me so much to keep going… Even when I get a random girl messaging me on Instagram to express her love of my curation/pieces, it means the world. Sometimes I feel like I’m doing it blindly. If I don’t get the occasional feedback, I have no clue how I’m doing.
The archive designer market has changed so much in the last few years. What do you think sets Guzzi Archive apart?
It has, and I feel like it’s very oversaturated right now. I honestly think I was a bit late to the game. Over the years though, I’ve seen a fair few vintage designer businesses start up and then stop after six months to a year.
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I think maybe the sourcing aspect gets exhausting, but I know this won’t be me simply for the reason that I cannot stop shopping! The sourcing is my favourite part. I also try to keep my prices somewhat within the realm of affordability and make sure I offer payment options like Afterpay and PayPal.
I must say it’s getting harder though, particularly in Australia where vintage designer prices are already quite low in comparison to the US and Europe. I think another thing that sets other archival designer businesses apart from one another is the curation of pieces.
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I think vintage designer business owners buy a lot of what they personally love, and I like meeting other business owners and seeing their personal style reflected in their pieces. I really think it’s more beneficial to befriend one another than to be cold and competitive.
Do you have a favourite designer or era you look for?
It changes every now and again but right now, I’m really into finding rare Chloe pieces from Stella McCartney or Phoebe Philo’s eras. I have sourced a bunch from the UK and I’m so excited to receive them! Of course, there are also the classics that are always a win to find – Galliano for Dior and Tom Ford for Gucci or YSL.
How would you describe Guzzi Archive to someone who’s never seen it before?
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An online hub of vintage designer pieces, well priced and lovingly curated.
What are the most loved pieces in your personal wardrobe?
Oh my goodness where do I start?! One of my first iconic finds was when I was 21 and I bought a Tom Ford-era gold chain Gucci belt. I think I paid about £100. I’ve had her for so long now, she’s so special to me!
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Other pieces include my FW2001 tattoo Roberto Cavalli jeans, my black buckle Miu Miu ballet flats, my rare collection of Cuffz bags, and this gorgeous pair of Giuseppe Zanotti heels with a huge embellished scorpion on them that sits down the middle of your foot.
Who do you think is most exciting in the Australian creative industries right now?
I love love love finding new Aussie designers to shop from. I really love Emily Watson, Sabi the Label, Karla Laidlaw and Bodicia B right now!
You can browse the Guzzi Archive collection here.
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