Searching for a vintage gem to upgrade your wardrobe? Follow our guide to some of the best vintage spots at the heart of Dublin City Centre …
Welcome to the vintage renaissance. In a world where fashion trends often feel like fleeting affairs, Dublin knows how to value a pre-loved treasure. In the heart of the city, the vintage magic isn’t just a blast from the past; it’s a new kind of glam championed by both more recent and long-lasting boutiques. These vintage havens know how to charm customers with their one-of-a-kind quality finds, offering a curated collection that celebrates the past and the timeless allure of embracing your individuality – the utmost expression of luxury…
1. Om Diva, 27 Drury Street
In the heart of the city stands the fashion collective Om Diva; with its whimsical pink front and welcoming windows, it is clear from a glance that owner Ruth Ní Loinsigh understands the art of shopping.
Om Diva originated as a small shop in George’s Street Arcade, born out of Ruth’s passion for fashion and travel. It is from this love that the shop gets its name, derived from the influence of Indian culture (“Om”) and her fanciful fashion ethos (“Diva”). This eclectic mix produces a shop with unique vintage finds and bespoke creations.
With its fun-loving staff and vibrant retro décor, stepping into Om Diva takes customers on a journey through time. Upstairs in Atelier 27, you can find pieces from rising Irish design talent, a testament to Ruth’s support for young local designers.
Making your way back from the future, you will find the pre-loved treasure trove in the shape of the renowned vintage basement, a playful space bathed in warm lighting and filled with staple coats and jackets, slip dresses, and an abundance of colourful costume jewellery.
Its cosy and colourful layout, filled with trinkets and beaded hangers, redefines shopping as a multifaceted experience. The changing room’s comfy couches and velvety curtains create a layout that feels more like playing dress up in a rom-com closet than in a shop in the middle of busy Dublin. The display of vibrant cabinets, funky lamps, and whimsical hair accessories makes for the ideal playground for all fashion lovers searching for some good old fun with a dose of nostalgia.
2. Jenny Vander, 50 Drury Street
Only a few steps away from Om Diva, you’ll find the vintage boutique Jenny Vander. An emblematic spot that has been echoing the rhythm of Dublin’s past since the 1970s. With a museum-like quality, the shop exudes a distinct personality adorned by various decades of jewels, dresses, and accessories. Sourcing its treasures from the fashion capitals of London, Paris, and the US, Jenny Vander is a destination for vintage experts and fashion enthusiasts alike.
Under the inspired ownership of Gail Kinsella, its third curator, the boutique thrives as a living, breathing time capsule. The jewellery cabinets are a feast for the eyes, organised in a cascading rainbow of colour-coordinated jewels that seem to extend towards infinity. From the matching sets to the pastel pink changing room, the shopping experience feels as intimate as stepping into an old romantic bedroom and as enriching as a lesson in fashion history.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to the trusty staff, Sally, Marion, and Gail and get their tips and hear their stories; all equally as charming as the treasures they guard. When asked about their favourite items, the variety of the store makes it hard to choose. Depending on your preference you might be drawn to a gorgeous 1950s satin dressing gown or to all the glitz and glitter of a 1920s party bag. It is, however, in their rarest, most unusual objects where a real collector will find their particular version of heaven. Sally points out the collection of floral golden brooches from the 1900s. I also spot a couple of cigarette boxes that catch my eye.
This diversity leaves no question as to why the shop is such a magnet for celebrities, stylists and collectors. The most notable case would come in 1992 with Michael Jackson, where on occasion of his performance at Lansdowne Road, the boutique provided the late King of Pop with last-minute diamanté for his jacket. More recently the boutique also had a small role in the TV series Normal People after stylist Lorna Marie Mugan handpicked various distinctive pieces to bring the characters of Marianne and Connell to life – just to name a few of the many pearls in Jenny Vander’s backlog of anecdotes.
3. Siopaella, 30 Wicklow Street
Canada-born Ella De Guzman, has been a dedicated thrifter since the 90s. Upon her arrival in Ireland she keenly identified a market gap for consignment stores and took it upon herself to fill that void. This was the genesis of Siopaella, the designer exchange hub that opened a new chapter in Dublin’s vintage history back in 2011. Now, with over a decade in business, the shop has flourished into a multi-location boutique, complemented by a thriving website and app.
Siopaella offers a unique blend of high and low rare finds, and its trading service has not only garnered the boutique an award-winning reputation but also fostered a loyal customer base. This success is partly owed to their fantastic selection of collectible pieces, with a particular fondness for designer bags and the reciprocal nature of the business. Siopaella encourages visitors to make purchases and give a second life to their cherished items, becoming part of the circle of an estimated 23,000 customers who reinvent their wardrobes under Ella’s enthusiastic and precise guidance.
For Ella, a special find is not solely about the price but more about uniqueness. “We have two beautiful Birkins next door. But then we also have rare finds that are not so expensive,” she emphasizes. This diversity is a hallmark of the shop, although some pieces are bound to stand out from the collection, such as the Rose Gold Oyster Rolex that is sure to catch the eye of any watch lover.
Operating from Monday to Saturday, Siopaella thrives on a community-centric approach, further fuelled by events and Ella’s social media prowess. Her technical expertise and charisma come together on the shop’s Instagram page to unveil a constant flow of new arrivals and special pieces available in-store and online.
Beyond its diverse and uniquely curated range, Siopaella also provides an authentication service, ensuring that clients can confidently trade their valuable pieces and clear out their wardrobes in a more proactive and sustainable way. This approach attracts and nurtures a community that celebrates the virtue of shopping for quality and participating in the recycling of over 180,000 pieces, keeping them out of landfills. Now that’s a legacy.
4. LOOT, 23 Drury Street
With a range of more recent pieces, you can explore the minimalist glory of the 90s at the concept store LOOT, which landed on Drury Street in May 2022 as a creation of Emma Fraser and Katie-Ruby McLaughlin – the same minds behind the online vintage space Rêverie. This venture stemmed from Fraser’s years-long experience with the vintage market in Dublin.
Through the fusion of Rêverie and the longer-standing sister brand Heritage, LOOT was born to adopt a more laid-back, minimalist take on vintage. Taking notes from Scandinavian sensibilities and channelling the urban flair of the city, LOOT becomes a perfect rendezvous for a newer crowd built off young Irish creators, fashion enthusiasts, and the occasional familiar face – like singer Lana Del Rey, who indulged in a vintage shopping detour before taking the stage at 3Arena last summer.
Apart from the known and loved stock from Heritage, LOOT’s stock is a minefield of treasures for Y2K enthusiasts and those falling victim to 90s nostalgia who can delight themselves in some Gucci denim and Moschino handbags.
If you wish to experience the shop at full effect, keep an eye out for their regular events and enjoy the growth of their fashion community amongst DJ sessions, a glass of champagne, and if faith must have it, perhaps a new Roberto Cavalli coat. After all, since the day of their opening, if there is something LOOT knows how to do, it is to throw a great party.
