Shareen Vintage stocks Madewell stores with fun summer finds

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Anyone who used to stop in at Shareen Mitchell’s always-crowded booth at the Melrose Trading Post flea market or frequents her nondescript warehouse on the outskirts of downtown L.A. knows about her well-edited stash of affordable vintage dresses, boots and blouses.

In addition to her warehouse location (and her studio on 17th Street in New York, which you will only know is open for business when a red dress hangs in the window) Shareen Vintage wares will also be stocked in the Madewell store in Century City and SoHo starting Thursday, offering girls some well-loved pieces to style in with their matchstick jeans and lace-up oxfords.

Madewell’s marketing director Gigi Guerra and Kin Ying Lee, the brand’s head designer, have been longtime fans of Shareen Vintage, combing the warehouse for items when in town. “Shareen has such an amazing eye and a knack for pulling in pieces that are really ahead of the curve. She intuitively understands what’s cool, plus her prices are truly affordable,” says Lee, who admits to exiting Mitchell’s warehouse with bagfuls of dresses to take back to home to New York.

Madewell chose pieces from Mitchell’s collection that would specifically pair well with jeans, chambray shirts and jean jackets. “The collection has a very laid-back, high-summer vibe,” says Lee. “Think floaty dresses and floral skirts with a boy-meets-girl feel.”

Mitchell (who is currently taping a docu-series for Planet Green about her work and constant journey seeking out and buying vintage clothing, which will debut in late fall) also reworked Indian print vintage fabric into what she calls the “Coachella” top – a lightweight, batwing blouse that she can’t keep in stock in her own store and will have hanging in Century City and SoHo Madewell locations.

Madewell is having a shopping event to kick of the Shareen Vintage collaboration Thursday. The event is open to the public, but judging by how crowded Mitchell’s booth at the Melrose flea market used to get, you may want to RSVP.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos, from top: Madewell items mixed with pieces from Shareen Vintage pieces. credit: Madewell; invitation to Madewell Century City event.