The Wardrobe Project is a vintage and modern thrift store for the people who are looking for their next statement piece surrounded by a welcoming community. This store, located in Rockridge, just a few blocks from Oakland Tech, offers unique clothing pieces, jewelry, shoes, accessories, and even some handmade items such as candles!
“We wanted more, we noticed a gap in the accessible price point in the thrifting market. We wanted to bring something special to Oakland” said Talia Brown.
The owners, Talia and Jon Jon, partners since 2018, have created this specially curated collection of thrifters’ favorites over the years and started officially in October of 2022. Their thrifting journey has been going for years, and they have been participating in the Bay Area fashion community since 2019. As they have slowly built their way up, jumping between online and physical selling, Talia and Jon Jon noticed a gap in the market. The lack of accessible price points in the community inspired them to start The Wardrobe Project to fill that gap and give people what they have been missing. Hunting for the perfect piece while also not being disappointed once seeing the price tag is a feeling that many aim to experience. By blending approachability and reasonable cost, Wardrobe has added to the thrifting community. Thrifting is known to be all about upcycling and protecting the environment, and The Wardrobe Project aims to promote these values.
On top of their charming store located on College Avenue, they host a thrifting flea market every third Saturday of the month. Bringing out their variety of old and new clothes, they meet with around 100 vendors with a diverse assortment of goods in the parking lot of the Rockridge Bart. Talia notes a popular sentiment that thrifting has infiltrated the hearts of many, varying from ages 13 to 24. Many Tech students attend The Wardrobe flea market as it is a popular place to find unique pieces, trinkets, jewelry, and even cameras. All their clothing pieces are brought in by their 11 curators with varying feminine and masculine styles from the Bay Area.
“[Oakland’s] just a very special place in my heart. We wanted to bring something to Oakland because it is really a city of diverse culture.” said Talia.
As a store in the Bay Area, The Wardrobe Project has its unique qualities although prices have risen through the years. But their unique curation seems to exceed other thrift stores nearby by targeting a certain fashion style, which tend to be harder to pinpoint in other vintage and antique stores.