How LA's Best Vintage Store Curates The Goods
An interview with Fernando of Unsound Rags & Silver League.
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The world of vintage men’s clothing is in an interesting place in the year of our lord 2022. On some level it feels like it’s never been more popular, especially among younger folks, who according to polls and data are more interested in saving the planet than any generation before them. While not buying Zara and whatnot might be part of the equation for Gen Zers in buying clothes, I don’t often think morality plays a huge role in many people’s clothing shopping habits. What does drive spending habits are things like nostalgia, often for times we didn’t actually live through—maybe as a way to subconsciously express love for our elders, or a yearning for a time before modern lives got digitized, algorithm’d, and double-tapped. At the same time, it might not be that deep lol. Going to “the thrift” (a term I low-key kind of despise) is simply a way to buy clothes for really, really cheap.
For me, I love vintage things for a lot of reasons, though I’m not terribly interested in the act of digging through endless bins at Goodwill to find stuff I love. I’d much rather outsource the legwork to someone who knows a lot more than I do and be presented with a selection of well-worn, high quality items to choose from, and am willing to pay a premium for that service, which brings me to Unsound Rags.
Stores like Unsound Rags—my favorite and, in my opinion, the coolest vintage shop in Los Angeles—really get me on some kid in candy store shit. Their selection of single-stitch T-shirts, made-in-USA sweatshirts, distressed work jackets, jeans, and double knee pants is second to none. They’ve not only taken the time to find products that are unique in terms of graphics and whatnot, but is considered down to the fading and wash. The result is an online experience (or in person if you’re in LA and make a nifty little appointment which I did earlier this year) that not only is a joy in discovery, but feels like a crash course in good taste.
Ultimately, you pay for what you get at Unsound Rags. I dropped $200 on a Carhartt jacket with frayed sleeves and you know what? I wear that shit ALL the time. *Homelander voice* It’s perfect. I know the folks at Unsound Rags paid way less than that to get it into their hands, but they also spent the time to find it, shoot it, and store it. I want places like Unsound Rags to continue to exist, both for my own selfish reasons and as a way to continue to inspire people to invest in long-lasting, American-made products that are harder and harder to come by in today’s fast-fashion-dominated world. Point is, I’m happy to pay the the markup to keep businesses like theirs thriving. And if you’ve been to a flea market recently, you’ll know there’s no shortage of vintage clothes for those who have the time to do the digging on their own and want to get a lower price.
All of that in mind, I wanted to learn more about who’s behind my vintage store, their curation process, and their plans for the future (they’ve recently started dipping their toes into the world of an in-house line, using all of the inspiration from their incredible archives to make new jeans and sweatshirts). So I reached to out founder Fernando Rangel (who is also founder of Silver League, a more fashion, archival-y oriented vintage store) for some knowledge darts. Here’s what he had to say.
Unsound Rags is also having a 25% off holiday sale so go check that out and get yourself or someone else a dope vintage T-shirt or something!
Tell me a little about yourself in general...where did you grow up and how did your interest in fashion first develop?
I grew up in the suburbs surrounding Detroit, Michigan. I got into soccer cleats & sportswear first. That leaked into reselling & collecting sneakers. I became more aware of what clothes I’d wear out on weekends & got pretty into raw denim. The first brands I got excited for were Balmain by Decarnin, Givenchy by Tischi, Rick Owens, & Visvim. At the time I had no real knowledge of the brands and their history not to mention the finances to purchase.
You're involved in two different paths of the vintage space, one, Silver League, dedicated to more archive fashion, and Unsound Rags, which is more true vintage...what do you enjoy about each of them?
Silver League is a great resource for me to continue learn and digest all designer’s and brand’s past works. Seeing all different methods of construction, fit, material compositions, and hardware have really helped me understand clothing on a deeper level. Unsound Rags is much more accessible in comparison and is able to offer more in volume. Faded tees, graphics, sweats, denim, outerwear, and all of the above. We still get excited about vintage even though we’re thousands of shirts deep at this point, to put it lightly.
How did Unsound Rags first start out? Were there any trends were you seeing in the market that lead you and your partners to launch this online store?
It really just started with a few t-shirts, nothing crazy. There was absolutely no trend out there, that’s why we decided to push our narrative further. We’re the first of our niche. The faded blanks, sun bleached garments, Carhartt double knees, etc are all things we pushed and over the years and have garnered a large following from people that come to us for just strictly that. Our specific market wasn’t really a “thing” when the store started.
How does the team curate pieces and decide what makes something worthy of selling?
Our curation is if we don’t like it, we don’t sell it. I’ve pulled tons of shirts off our site that don’t resonate with our story. We take those to skid row. For me, curation isn’t about what you buy. It’s what you don’t buy. We always make cuts, even if we’re trying to scale our business forward. In summary, we’re your go to faded black vintage store. That’s us.
How does the team curate items? Where are you going to find these items?
It’s really no secret at this point. Fleas & online marketplaces were the start. Independent sellers that come to us and sell in bulk. Domestic & international warehouses.
Can you explain the work that goes into sourcing these pieces? I ask because often people don't understand why you all charge higher prices than your average flea market, despite providing a service of curating the best of the best.
Of course. We’re a business first. We pay our team’s wages, suppliers, logistics, domestic manufacturing, in-house development teams, etc. There’s so many moving parts. Let alone the unfathomable amount of time spent digging through containers. This isn’t a one man show, and that’s reflective in our pricing. We wouldn’t last without our margin & our beyond supportive online audience. We’re so grateful.
What are the biggest differences you find in the way some of these older pieces like sweatshirts, tees, and jeans were made in the past versus today?
Honestly, it’s the feel & shape for the most part. Levi’s jeans today are not as they once were. Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Russell, tops are made much worse. People love that 90s silhouette and that’s why so many brands today are making clothes fit the way they do. It’s the cycle.
What's been the coolest vintage find you've ever had on Unsound Rags? What about archive piece on Silver League?
Coolest is our vintage Unsound band tee. Unsound Rags is a name I came up with just because it felt right. Seeing it used in the past and that energy being so similar is the coolest shit ever. For Silver League, our AW2001 Raf Simons Riot Blanket. That’s the unicorn and the reason we do what we do. Being able to experience that first hand means the world. From the historical significance to its rarity, everything in between. So proud to have had the opportunity to bring it home.
What are the most popular items you sell on Unsound Rags?
Black clothes.
What are the future plans for UR? Any aspirations for physical activations or more products from the in-house line?
So many. More branches, more projects. We’re already planning well through 2023 so expect a lot from us then. Some physical experiences in premature stages. Much more in house products. We’ve been working on some of these for well over a year. I just could never be rushing a product out before it’s ready. We have to be the slowest, with good reason. I love to fully build out an idea, an energy that feels just as exciting as the clothes. Our next release is scheduled for Spring 2023, if all in house development goes at the pace it has been. Can’t wait to share more.