Business graduate launches vintage clothing boutique in heart of Carmarthen
A GRADUATE from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Carmarthen Business School has opened a new vintage clothing store in Carmarthen.
Mathew Kilgariff is the owner of The Dandy Lion Vintage in Queen Street, Carmarthen, which also had a pop-up store in the town’s St Catherine’s Walk recently.
It is an independent business that specialises in vintage/retro clothing and accessories, while also offering customers sustainable, affordable and unique styles.
According to Mathew, the idea originated from the fact that there were not enough vintage clothing shops in the Carmarthenshire area, especially for men.
He had visited vintage clothes shops in Manchester, Bristol and Cardiff and realised that a similar business could be viable in Carmarthen, while popular online platforms such as Depop and Vinted showed there was a demand for vintage products.
Mathew said: “I believe that people still value physically shopping on a high street because it is possible to see and feel the quality, size, fit of a product.
“A carefully selected collection of clothing can provide new ideas and there is knowledgeable staff to advise on what fits and suits each individual.
“I personally no longer shop at chain clothing shops as their ‘fast fashion’ business model is unsustainable and there is no individuality.”
As Mathew grew up in Carmarthen, he felt he knew the town’s demographic well, and believed that in the past 10 years it has become a shopping destination for both Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
He said: “Many of the big chains have struggled to maintain their premises with the fight against a growing online-savvy consumer, but this has created an opportunity for independent shops to create a new dynamic on the high street. Also, with a thriving art college and university on our doorstep, I believe that young creative adults are underrepresented within the shops in the town.”