OOTO LONDON, one of the world’s most exclusive vintage archives, comes to Berlin

vor 3 months

OOTO London is a prestigious vintage fashion archive renowned for its exquisite collection of luxury ready-to-wear pieces.

 

Based in London, OOTO has become a go-to destination for fashion aficionados and celebrities seeking rare, high-end vintage garments from iconic designers like Tom Ford, John Galliano, and Gianni Versace. The archive’s collection, known for its exceptional curation and authenticity, is now making its debut as a pop-up in Berlin, thanks to a partnership with APROPOS, Germany’s leading concept store.

This collaboration offers fashion enthusiasts in Germany the chance to own a piece of fashion history. OOTO London’s founders, Calum Blyth and Alice Smith, have a rich history in the fashion industry, having worked with major designers and icons like the “Vintage King” William Banks-Blaney.

Their expertise and passion for vintage fashion have not only drawn the attention of fashion-conscious celebrities but also esteemed institutions and museums worldwide. The duo has collaborated on numerous exhibitions, including significant showcases of Alexander McQueen’s work. With their unique collection, OOTO London provides a rare opportunity to explore and acquire pieces that are not just garments but artifacts of cultural significance.

In Germany, a selection of OOTO’s curated pieces will be available for purchase until the end of September at a pop-up in the APROPOS store located on Kurfürstendamm. As OOTO embarks on this new venture with APROPOS, we delve into what makes OOTO London a leader in the realm of vintage fashion, speaking to its co-founder Calum Blyth.


Fräulein: OOTO stands for „Out Of The Ordinary”. What sets OOTO London apart from other vintage platforms? 

Blyth: Our product is very elevated and as a company we own all of our inventory. We are very invested in each and every piece. We do not sell online, as this type of archival product does not sell well in the digital sphere. Therfore, we do not consider ourselves a vintage platform in any sense. The word vintage is very overused and I suppose that the best comparison in contemporary fashion for OOTO London is that of Hermès!

What are your general criteria when selecting clothes? And which of your vintage finds have you specifically selected to showcase here in Berlin? 

Prior to purchasing the work of a particular designer, we thoroughly research each collection. We look for the most important pieces by that designer to purchase. Each piece should be of historical significance from a fashion perspective. As part of our edit for APROPOS, we selected important archival pieces by Tom Ford for Gucci for Berlin to allow the client some insight into the OOTO London product.

Your London based store is now coming as a Pop-Up to Berlin. What comes to mind if you think of Berlin fashion? 

For me, I would consider Berlin to have an avant-garde approach to fashion. I would see the Berlin client to be very sophisticated in an understated way.

What factors influenced the decision to team up with APROPOS

We only partner with the most elevated and best of luxury retailers – hence our partnership with APROPOS.

Is there anything upcoming you’d like to announce?

We have two exciting new retail partnerships, in both the United Kingdom and United States that will be launching before the end of this year. Unfortunately, I cannot name either of them at the moment. However, I can say that both are considered to be at the pinnacle of luxury retail.

Interview by Franka Klaproth

Photos by Christopher Puttins

All Images Courtesy of OOTO

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