March 24, 2025

S9 Ep9 DISTRESSED FEST: co-founders and dealers of distressed vintage, Abe and Connor - on distressed vintage as wearable folk art with visible history, and why these pieces are coveted.

1 hour 8 minutes

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

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SPECIAL THANKS:

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

Patty Weber
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Lucille of Galipette Vintage
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By Emily Stochl

4.8

140140 ratings

March 24, 2025

S9 Ep9 DISTRESSED FEST: co-founders and dealers of distressed vintage, Abe and Connor - on distressed vintage as wearable folk art with visible history, and why these pieces are coveted.

1 hour 8 minutes

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: