For the love of kitsch: vintage fair at Hull City Hall a big success

“Generationx; This was billed as a 'vintage fair' not a 'Vintage fashion Fair'. The term 'vintage' has different connotations for everyone (as does 'fashion'). In this age the terms 'antique', 'retro' and 'vintage' are very subjective. Lines are blurred and it is up to the individual to decide. There were constructive comments made on here by a number of people as to how, they feel, the fair could be bettered. I like 1970's German ceramics and Art Deco. One man's item is another's bad-taste nightmare dust-collector. Calling people 'old farts' for not being cock-a-hoop about the day or your stall is insulting. Please let me and others know the name of the stall you trade by, we will be sure to give it a wide berth. Obviously, we would not want to ruin your day by making you take 'old fart's' money.”

“'Kitsch' Art or literature or sentimental value. Neither or which were mentioned in the article.”

“Vintage is now anything that is at least 20 years old, retro refers to something new / modern that is made in a vintage style. I traded at the event and we did very very well on the day, so if mr horbaczewski is a vintage trader (which i doubt as he spends nearly all of his time posting comments on this website, so hes either lying or not very busy!) then he missed out big time. We travel to fairs all over the country and the people who like their vintage fashion come back time and time again. In fact every fair i go to the same people come back but bring friends and family so it snowballs, and the old farts who dont spend any money and dont like whats on offer dont come back, which is great for the majority of traders who are selling fashion items not museum pieces.”

“@horbazewski If you think 60's and 70's is retro you must be proper old”

“I said a vintage fashion show would be a good idea, it works well at other shows to keep people on site and inspired to buy.
I've collected true vintage for many years, if it's stuff from the 60s and 70s it's 'retro' and not vintage.

I also trade at shows and was hoping to at Hull, but having been as a customer I wouldn't bother.

Enjoyed the burlesque, but the show in general was a waste of a nice space.”

“Totally agree with Anna. I traded at the event, I trade at vintage events across the country. I came all the way from Birmingham to trade at your city, there were traders from all over the country who made the trip as well as a lot of local traders. £45 for a stall is pretty standard, and worth it for the great promotion that made the event very successful for us, even considering petrol money and an overnight stay in a hotel. As with most vintage fairs, it is mainly about clothes, and I thought there was a nice mix. Since there was no mention of a vintage fashion show I'm not sure why you would expect one. There was a good amount of pre 1960's stock about the fair, but frankly it is getting harder for traders to source in good condition and therefore this type of stock tends to be expensive - it's not what everyone is looking for anyway, as Anna said. Not everyone is in agreement about what counts as vintage but the industry standard is 20 years or older, to me 'retro' means reproduction. I'm not sure if the organiser had paid to use the bar but I thought there was plenty of space in the hall. The organisers run fairs across the UK so they do know what they are doing, I've traded at many fairs over the years and theirs are hands down the best organised. Fairs from 10-6 generally don't create better returns for traders as the hours from 10-12 and from 4.30-6pm tend to be quiet, plus starting at noon allows plenty of time for set up - us traders arrived from 9am to set up for this event. Sorry you didn't enjoy it but I met many people who enjoyed it immensely and are looking forward to the next one. I'm certainly looking forward to my next trip to Hull!”

“I attended the vintage fair on Saturday and thought it was amazing. The clothes stalls were one of the main things I went for, not really interested in seeing pots and pans I can pick up at any local car boot sale. I think the event was really tailored for people like me who like fashion and want to buy something a bit different. I don't want things from the 40's and 50's that's over 70 years ago now and these things are in museums and not wearable in todays environment. I picked up a 60's mod dress (perfect for this season's trend) its over 50 years old, was a total bargain and was in great condition. If this isn't vintage I don't know what would be deemed as vintage. The fair was buzzing its obviously not for everyone but if you are wanting to pick up 40's 50's items it probably isnt for you and you better have a lot of money as these items carry a hefty price tag and are getting increasingly rare. I would definitely attend the fair again, myself my mother and boyfriend all had a wonderful time.”

“I attended the vintage fair on Saturday and thought it was amazing. The clothes stalls were one of the main things I went for, not really interested in seeing pots and pans I can pick up at any local car boot sale. I think the event was really tailored for people like me who like fashion and want to buy something a bit different. I don't want things from the 40's and 50's that's over 70 years ago now and these things are in museums and not wearable in todays environment. I picked up a 60's mod dress (perfect for this season's trend) its over 50 years old, was a total bargain and was in great condition. If this isn't vintage I don't know what would be deemed as vintage. The fair was buzzing its obviously not for everyone but if you are wanting to pick up 40's 50's items it probably isnt for you and you better have a lot of money as these items carry a hefty price tag and are getting increasingly rare. I would definitely attend the fair again, myself my mother and boyfriend all had a wonderful time.”

“@Demonica, exactly. I've collected true vintae for many years and it was disappointing. People selling stuff from Top shop and Primark?
The bar area is lovely and a wasted space. It could be great, fashion shows and more music and dancing. There's a great swing dance troupe in Hull and more burlesque and hair and make up demo's.”

“Too many clothes stalls, not enough other (goods) stalls, too many people rammed into the main hall whilst the bar (another decent space) was unused and empty. This retro fair could be amazing. It was disappointing and I didn't buy a thing. Most of the stuff was retro, not vintage. The tea shop was situated in the foyer in front of the main hall. We waited 20 mins for a seat and gave up. Why not use the bar? The fair was ok but needed far more logical planning. Let's hope the next one attracts more stall holders although the price of £45 for a stall for 5 hours will put people in Hull off, given the fact that you will also have to pay to park your van too. Making it an all-day event from 10-6 would make all the difference.”