73 Stoke Newington High St, formerly an estate agency that went under or shut up shop? I’m not really sure, but the building remained closed and piles of post accumulated inside sufiiciently for the passer by to know that Property was no longer profitable in this particular location The shop is currently hosting an installation ‘The Vest is History’; a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ precursor to the arrival of Covent Garden based MINT Vintage clothing emporium in the neighbourhood. . Rather fitting then to discover that it demands the viewer re-evaluate consumerism with all its pleasures and evils. Local resident and MINT owner James Wright, a flamboyant character in navy suit and shoulder length auburn locks, describes the event as a reflection on consumerism. Whilst the press releases bill this as a branching out from Covent Garden to Dalston (as we’ve already mentioned apparently the coolest place in the UK) not unlike Soho house goes to Shoreditch – I’m sticking to the viewpoint that Mint vintage are coming to Stokie where we have a fine tradition of retro and classic clothing traders.

The installation focuses on a few key items for sale, and interactive exhibits such as ‘the key to life raffle’ fundraising for Amnesty International and the shopping trolley as advertising medium. Downstairs there’s an 8 seat Super-8 cinema, showing random docu-movies of ordinary life shot on 8mm Kodak. Piles of shredded decommissioned print adorn the floor the legacy of overproduction and our love of digital media.

Thursday nights are vinyl nights with Gramophone juke-box, local guest DJ’s and
BYO 78s if you’ve an urge to take over the weekend play list. For the opening night Emily Rawson (rockthebelles.com) was on the decks to set the retro mood. As bemused and amused partygoers took in the delights of the washing line of string vests, the bowl of keys, and the shopping trolley.

If shopping is your game, there’s a retail side to this interactive installation. The classic-design string vests are for sale at £8 each ranging from trendy basketball or Madonna-style cropped roller-girl, to 30s & 40s undergarments – perhaps something for the grumpy old man in your life.. Limited edition prints of 70’s prototypes for a John Player Special and Kellogs branded shopping trolleys (run of 1 x A0 and run of 10 x A2) are priced from £150 - £1,000 per pair. But if you’re still looking for a present for that special someone, and your budget allows, the ‘pièce de resistance’ has to be a Bultaco Sherpa 250 motorbike, as favoured by Steve McQueen, a snip at just £3500.


‘The Vest is History’ will run from 16th December until 5th January, when 73 Stoke Newington High St becomes the flagship store for MINT Vintage. See N16 listings for more details.

Opening hours: Mon-Sun 1pm-7pm (opening hours will vary over Christmas & New
Year and for specific events - please check website)

website: thevestishistory.com
facebook: MintVintage
twitter: @mint_vintage

Bryony Hegarty

For more information about the event and venue, please visit Full Listings.