Interview with Owner of Old Earth Vintage, Tristan Thompson
Vintage clothing. How do you see it? Understand it? Is it about art? Creativity? Is it about sustainability? What if the answer is all of the above? Tristan Thompson says, “Yes, it has to be all of the above.”
Tristan Thompson is a 29-year-old who moved to the Bay area with a vision. He is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, which is an hour and a half away from my hometown. I didn’t know that before interviewing him but it did give us a collective unique perspective as we discussed fashion, music, and his purpose. After attending a four-year university in Tennessee, he couldn’t seem to find a passion for any sort of office job that he had prepared for those past few years. Despite his parents' traditional wishes, he decided to pursue his passion for creativity, something he had fantasized about since childhood. “I always wanted to be a fashion designer and I still do. In a way, I am.” Tristan shared with me. He began picking out vintage clothing at flea markets, thrifting bins, really anywhere he could find them. Six years ago, living back in Arkansas, he began frequently selling these clothes on eBay and at markets. What he had to offer was drastically different from thrifting at a Goodwill. When shopping with Tristan all the “good finds” were already found for you. He states, “I only choose things I would wear and then sell them to other people to wear. Which was, and is still, difficult because I do want to keep everything I sell.”
The things he picks out to sell, even reluctantly, define his style and now his brand. His love for music, as well as being a musician himself, shape this brand. As Tristan said, “Music just inspires.” It is pretty obvious he has good style when one walks into Old Earth Vintage. You are also able to grasp that much of his inspiration comes from Hip-Hop, R&B, and EDM music, as it plays in the background. He always saw himself in San Francisco and as he molded his dream into a reality, he made the move. Upon moving, he was quickly asked to sell his clothing at Indigo Vintage and from there was inspired to start his own store.
Two years ago he began his storefront Old Earth Vintage. Its mission is to combine fashion, music, and sustainability. Actually, Tristan says sustainability is really where the concept of Old Earth comes from. He began designing and selling clothes, then giving proceeds to endangered wildlife. The clothes were also being re-worn, making them beneficial to the environment. It was from this he thought of creating a store that had many purposes. Old Earth proceeds go to both national endangered animal funds but also local Bay Area organizations. Every Earth Day, the store hosts a fundraiser in which all proceeds go to these causes. When I asked Tristan how he felt about fashion's impact on sustainability and vice versa, he said, “I think fashion is actually becoming a more sustainable space. People are realizing that older clothing is better quality, and lasts longer. Also, people are more aware that packaging is bad for the environment.” His love for the Earth around him has enabled him to achieve his dream. The clothes and music produced at Old Earth are all examples of Tristan’s creation, of his vision.
His message to those also wanting to pursue a job in the creative arts is to go for it, to follow the dream. He says, “ Don't complicate your dreams. If you know what you want to do, don't get distracted, just do it if you know.” His vision for the future of Old Earth Vintage includes a warehouse where clothes are still sold and the storefront is expanded. But also where music and art are produced. He believes that Old Earth Vintage will become an all-encompassing brand with sustainability and giving back at the center.
Media for Old Earth Vintage:
Instagram: Oldearthvintage
Website: oldearthvintage.com
