Inside ThredUp's Massive Vintage Collection with Cynthia Lee:

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Cynthia Lee, the Head of Merchandising at ThredUp, who have just launched a limited-time, first-of-its kind curated assortment of more than 20,000 vintage pieces in partnership with Beyond Retro.

From childhood treasure-hunting on San Francisco's Haight Street to managing millions of unique daily listings, Cynthia brings 15 years of merchandising expertise from powerhouse brands like Neiman Marcus, eBay, StockX, and Sephora.

A lover of vintage herself, Cynthia spearheaded this initiative, and she’s coming on the show today to share how it all came together. Plus, what’s involved in merchandising when you’re talking about millions of unique digital listings, why "flawed gems" deserve a second life, and what’s ahead for the industry in 2025.

Consider this your exclusive behind-the-scenes look at ThredUp's team "knee-deep in boxes" while curating this massive vintage collection! Let’s dive right in: 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [4:03] A lifelong fashion lover whose family was in the fabric business, Cynthia grew up appreciating quality clothing and shopping vintage on Haight Street.
• [6:17] The evolving art of merchandising across luxury and digital platforms for brands like eBay, StockX, Sephora, and Neiman Marcus.
• [14:41]  The daily challenge of merchandising and curating 50,000 new unique listings at ThredUp
• [18:07] What’s changed the most in the secondhand industry since Cynthia started doing this work.
• [21:48] Why secondhand doesn't devalue luxury brands—it makes them more accessible
• [24:07] What’s trending in the secondhand fashion industry in 2025.
• [27:16] Sorting through hundreds of boxes for ThredUp's x Beyond Retro 20,000 piece vintage collaboration
• [35:05] How this vintage activation might shape future offerings at ThredUp.

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• ThredUp
• The Vintage Pop-Up
• Beyond Retro
• Wasteland
• 7 Timely Takeaways from the ThredUp Resale Report
• Talking Key Trends with ThredUp’s Danielle Vermeer 
• Danielle Vermeer on Pre-Loved Podcast
• ThredUp 2025 Resale Report
• Awkwafina in Crazy Rich Asians

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Haile Lidow, the founder of Lidow Archive, which is a clothing rental fantasyland of over 9,000 pieces of vintage & contemporary designer clothing and accessories that Haile has collected over the course of 15-years — it now occupies an entire wing of her Los Angeles home/studio.

Her pieces have been worn by Chappel Roan, Lady Gaga, and Madonna and that’s because Haile loves the vibrant, the stand-out, the statement making….. And we haven’t even talked about the shoe closet yet, which contains 24 pairs of Marc Jacobs boots, including 9 pairs of Kiki boots, which have been worn by the likes of Rihanna and Olivia Rodrigo. 

I’ll let Haile tell you all about it! – let’s dive right in!  

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [5:03] Haile has loved fashion her entire life, and she got into going to weekend flea markets with friends in middle school.
• [8:46] Her fashion career began with a Vogue internship at age 16. 
• [13:36] Figuring out how to turn collecting and archiving into a career.
• [23:00] Documenting and archiving a 4,000 piece collection to begin her business.
• [27:48] How vintage archives work with celebrity stylists and editorial shoots.
• [32:23] There’s an entire bedroom in the archive devoted just to shoes!

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• Lidow Archive
• @lidowarchive
• Albright Fashion Library
• Winne Harlow for Elle Russia
• Lady Gaga wearing Lidow Archive
• Chappell Roan wearing Lidow Archive
• Genesis Webb
• Claudia Schiffer in Chanel 1991
• Kendall Jenner in Vogue Hong Kong
• The Battle of Versaille documentary
• Halston show - Versaille episode
• Moschino Spring 1991
• Pheobe Philo painted toenail shoes
• Lynn Ban
• Anne Wold glow-in-the-dark star dress
• Lisa from Black Pink and White Lotus
• Girlhead
• “More Ranch” hat

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Amanda Marcuson, the founder of BAG CRAP. Bag Crap is a vintage bag charm brand built on nostalgi and individuality

Amanda is a longtime vintage collector, with a love of treasure hunting that grew over the years as she spent countless weekends at estate sales, thrift stores, and flea markets searching for quirky items.  She became a luxury handbag resale expert turned designer and charm curator. She uses vintage keychains and repurposed toys to transform nostalgic items into playful one-of-a-kind bag charms that celebrate sustainability. 

Her business experienced the bag charm boom – she's been featured in several issues of VOGUE, GQ, and Nylon, and worn by style icons like Tracee Ellis Ross and Gabriella Karefa-Johnson.

But Amanda feels in her heart that her one-of-a-kind bag charms, made from trinkets found all over the world, are more than just a trend item – we get into it all! It’s a fun one, and I think you’re really gonna love it –  so let’s dive right in! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [5:43] How Amanda’s obsession with vintage handbags really began.
• [9:21] Was Beanie Baby the first resale trend craze?
• [13:04] While at FIT and in her fashion internships, Amanda was always crafting and upcycling. 
• [17:33] She learned about authentication and running a small business while working in the luxury handbag resale industry, including at The RealReal and Heritage Auctions. 
• [24:24] When the bag charm started to take off. 
• [31:51] We’re hungry for the little things that make us happy, even just a charm on your bag that communicates your individuality!

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• @bagcrap
• Bag Crap
• “Vintage-lovers on Louis Vuitton x Murakami”
• Miu Miu kicks off the bag charm boom
• Lori Hirshleifer
• After Hours by Kiara Cooper
• Don’t Let Disco

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with the folks at Pinterest about their Festival Fashion Trend Report, made for Coachella. Sydney Stanback, Global Trends & Insights Lead, Pinterest gives us the scoop about how fashion trend reporting happens at Pinterest – think about it, Pinterest is obviously a major driver in what we wear, setting the trends before they even get to social media, and what they reported for festival fashion this season.

We also had secondhand stylist KG Lillian, hop on the line with us, she’s known for her thrifted style boxes, and Pinterest asked her to curate thrifted and vintage style boxes based on our festival trend data.

We talk moodboarding, how vintage dealers and collectors might want to use Pinterest, and all the nostalgia we’re seeing in fashion – especially at Coachella this season!

It’s a fun one, and I think you’re really gonna love it –  so let’s dive right in! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [4:28] KG Lillian is a secondhand stylist, best known for sourcing curated thrift bundles for her community on TikTok.
• [6:04] How trend forecasting and reporting works at Pinterest.
• [16:43] Using Pinterest as a moodboarding tool for thrifting and style bundles.
• [26:30] Pinterest’s fashion reporting on Coachella.
• [29:13] All the nostalgia we’re seeing in fashion right now.

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• @pinterest
• Pinterest Festival Fashion Trend Report
• @kglillian
• KG Lillian
• Pinterest Trend Reports
• Collaging and the Remix tool
• Ramisha Sattar, Chappell Roan’s creative director
• Ramisha and Chappell at the Pinterest pop-up
• Freestyle Fits moodboard
• Urban Wrangler moodboard
• Pre-Loved’s take on Coachella fashion

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Anastacia Banicke of Goods & Provisions
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Virginia Chamlee, a longtime journalist and staff writer for People magazine who has a lifelong passion for collecting vintage. 

Nearly a decade ago, she began selling her finds, quickly become a Super Seller on Chairish and developing a roster of clients from AD 100 interior designers to A-list celebrities. In 2022, her first book, Big Thrift Energy, was released worldwide and since then she has traveled the country sharing her tips on how to shop for vintage furniture, housewares and accessories. 

This episode is a lot of fun, and – especially if you love vintage homewares – I think you’re really gonna love it –  so let’s dive right in! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [2:06] Virginia’s early love of thrifting and home decor came from her grandmother, who raised her.
• [10:48] How she started selling vintage furniture and home decor herself.
• [16:13] The business and logistics of reselling decor online.
• [21:30] Sharing her vintage shopping tips online, which led to publishing a guide book.
• [28:05] Maker’s marks, and other ways to identify a vintage decor object.
• [38:41] Shopping estate sales, and finding unexpected pieces like her Goyard trunk.

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• @vchamlee
• Virginia’s Substack, What’s Left
• Chairish
• Karl Lagerfeld jewelry
• Warrington Colescott lithograph, 1966
• Look in the glass case!
• Thrifting in Salt Lake City
• Avonlea in Jacksonville
• Claude Home by Maggie Holladay
• @claudehome

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• Lucille of Galipette Vintage
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Anastacia Banicke of Goods & Provisions
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Kayla Dickie, the founder of Kiko’s Kloset in LA. Kikos Kloset uses dance to showcase how good it feels to be in your body, in one-of-a-kind outfits, feeling free, beautiful, & self-assured. As Kayla so often says: “If you can’t dance in it, why wear it?!”

She started selling vintage as a side hustle during the pandemic – dancing in the clothes on social media – and never looked back. We talk about the lessons learned in the years since, and why she believes in expressing yourself unapologetically in well-loved fashion, in a never-ending dance with Mother Earth.

This episode is a lot of fun, and I think you’re really gonna love it –  so let’s dive right in! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [3:31] Early memories of thrifting at the Salvation Army in high school.
• [6:50] How she took Kiko’s Kloset from side hustle to full-time gig.
• [15:07] Getting embedded into her local vintage community. 
• [19:24] “If you can’t dance in it, why wear it?!”
• [25:31] Kayla’s secondhand shopping stories, and her most memorable buys.

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• @kikos.kloset
• Kiko’s Kloset website
• Madly Vintage
• Haute & Freddy

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• Lucille of Galipette Vintage
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Anastacia Banicke of Goods & Provisions
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with handbag industry and design expert, Emily Blumenthal, who is the founder of The Handbag Awards and National Handbag Designer Day, and professor of entrepreneurship at FIT, and host the Handbag Designer 101 podcast.

This episode is all about – you guessed it! – vintage handbags, including the story of how Emily got her original handbag designs on Sex and the City, and so much other great vintage handbag lore. I think you’re really gonna love it –  so let’s dive right in! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [2:29] Growing up with a dad who worked in New York’s Garment District
• [6:06] Designing handbags while hanging out behind the DJ booth at the clubs in college.
• [9:45] How she got her handbag everywhere – including Sex and the City! – by hustling.
• [15:34] Developing a deep knowledge of handbag history while hosting The Handbag Awards. 
• [19:55] So much design inspiration is taken from vintage! 
• [26:30] On “dupe” culture and trademarks.
• [30:01] How fast fashion has changed the handbag industry.
• [33:45] On the concept of vintage “It” bags.

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• Handbag Designer 101 Substack newsletter
• The Handbag Designer 101 Podcast
• @handbagdesigner on Instagram
• Emily’s video on dupe culture
• Her letter on ‘getting ahead of the dupe’
• The Sex and the City scene
• The History of Women’s Handbags Part 1, Two, Three, and Four
• The Armani Privé post
• The story of Hermè, Henry Ford, and the zipper
• The talk with the United States Patent & Trademark Organization (USPTO) on patents
• Handbags to look for when you’re vintage shopping

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• Lucille of Galipette Vintage
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Anastacia Banicke of Goods & Provisions
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Abe and Connor, the co-founders of Distressed Fest, which is a vintage event promoting distressed vintage as wearable art. If you’re listening to this live, Distressed Fest is headed to Brooklyn March 29th, and you should go check it out if you enjoy this episode. 

On to our guests today, Abe is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but now he runs a vintage showroom in Brooklyn. He has a fine arts background and is a vintage clothing appraiser on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow. His business partner, Connor, is Distressed Fest’s west coast conter-part, hailing from San Diego where he’s been dealing distressed vintage clothing for some time now.

We chat about what makes distressed clothing so special and their most incredible finds on today’s show. It's a really interesting one and I think you’re really gonna love it –  so let’s dive right in! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [2:30] Early memories of buying and selling clothes, and lots of thrifting
• [9:46] The path into dealing vintage clothing
• [14:19] How distressed vintage became their special interests
• [25:23] Starting Distressed Fest, a vintage event promoting distressed vintage as wearable art.
• [30:04] Wash, wear, and repair as the markings of a good distressed vintage piece.
• [35:57] Distressed pieces have a visible history that can sometimes be interpreted.
• [46:08] Well-worn pieces becoming a status symbol in high fashion.
• [48:46] One of the wildest stories I’ve ever heard about picking vintage clothes from an abandoned homestead!

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• Distressed Fest
• @sumshitifound - Abe’s business
• @legarbaage - Connor’s business
• @distressedfest
• Led Zeppelin
• @erikbill
• @antiqueshirts
• @bangfoyobuckclothing
• @detailsvintage
• @shop.handbook
• @laborandgleangarment

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• Lucille of Galipette Vintage
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Anastacia Banicke of Goods & Provisions
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Mackii Shaye, who calls herself a real life Valley Girl, major magazine collector, and former model. After working a lot of different jobs in the fashion industry, she took a leap to start her own vintage, shop Little Oyster Club

We chat about collecting magazines, and Mackii’s love for ‘as seen on TV’ fashion pieces from the early 2000s — so many “oh my gosh, I remember that!!” moments from pop culture, and it’s a fun one, and I think you’re really gonna love it –  so let’s dive right in! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [2:35] Growing up on Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s style, and obsessing over 90s and Y2K pop culture.
• [4:31] Getting into indie style, modelling, and collecting magazines in high school.
• [11:46] Specializing in early 2000s ‘as seen on TV’ fashion moments
• [17:54] Starting her vintage shop, Little Oyster Club
• [27:00] Going to Kathy Hilton’s closet sale
• [33:53] Her J’adore Dior tank she’ll never part with
• [35:02] Mackii’s decades long obsession with Juicy Couture

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• Little Oyster Club
• Mackii’s Instagram
• Mackii’s TikTok
• NYLON Magazine in 2006 with Ashley Olsen
• Wasteland
• Kaley Cuoco as Bridget Hennessy from 8 Simple Rules
• Lorelei in Custo at Rory’s birthday
• Rory’s ‘Reading is Sexy’ tee
• Lorelei’s ‘Yoga Kills’ tee
• Carrie’s ‘I have Nothing to Wear’ tee
• Toby Mott @culturaltraffic
• @macyeleni
• Macy Eleni on Pre-Loved Podcast
• Suki Waterhouse in shorts and tights
• Jamie Dornan and Kiera Knightley
• @voulezvous
• Lorelei’s kitty Princess tee 
• Mackii’s Joomi Joolz collection
• Steph Ermer
• Steph Ermer on Pre-Loved Podcast
• Addison Rae wearing the Electric Barbarella pants
• Avril’s Getting Lucky in Kentucky tee
• @misss2005
• Second Chances by Macy Eleni

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• Lucille of Galipette Vintage
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Anastacia Banicke of Goods & Provisions
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero

On today’s show, we’re chatting with Keesean Moore, who is a vintage dealer, writer and curator based in Philadelphia, where he is the founder of the Moore Vintage Archive on Philadelphia's historic Fabric Row. Keesean has been dealing vintage since high school when he got a job at a  small vintage shop in Jersey City, and the rest is history.

In this episode, we discuss his design library, as well as his museum-quality archive of historic pieces by Black designers. And, Moore Vintage Archive has a couple New York City markets coming up soon (Not a Normal Market and A Current Affair) so we got a little preview of some of the really special pieces you’ll see there.

It’s a fun one, and I think you’re really gonna love it –  so let’s dive right in! 

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• [2:40] Discovering a love of vintage fashion, growing up in Jersey City and working in vintage shops as a teenager.
• [6:56] How Keesean’s fashion career unfolded after years of crashing New York Fashion Week runway shows.
• [11:15] Moving to Philadelphia to open a brick-and-mortar vintage store.
• [16:39] Keesean is building out an archive of historic Black designers.
• [20:45] How to approach an “edit” for a vintage show.
• [26:41] Vintage buying in Paris
• [36:31] Favorites in Keesean’s personal collection, including great vintage tees.

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

• @moorevintagearchive
• Moore Vintage Archive
• Another Man’s Treasure
• Cathy Horyn
• What Goes Around Comes Around
• A Current Affair
• Brooklyn Flea
• Not a Normal Market 
• Naomi Campbell walking for Patrick Kelley
• Via Davia Vintage
• Indigo Style Vintage
• Cave Canem poets
• The Watering Hole
• BLK MKT Vintage

LET’S CONNECT: 

• 📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
• 🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
• 🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
• 📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
• 🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!

• Patty Weber
• Kathy Brand
• Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
• Lucille of Galipette Vintage
• KT 
• Lydia Welp
• Anastacia Banicke of Goods & Provisions
• Michael A.
• Megan Morris
• Jennifer
• Alana Rivero