As sustainable fashion takes the world by storm, there is no better time to invest in vintage luxury items- if you can find them. Owner of @anotherlifeny, @julia.tric, does the heavy lifting for her customers, sourcing authentic pre-loved designer bags for a fraction of the price to many of her competitors. Find out how she became a small business owner in this edition of The Advice Column by DD.
Ever fallen in love with an "it" designer bag of the season, only to find it is equivalent to the price of a month's rent? Guilty! The worst part about it is that you can find vintage versions of many of these "it" bags from twenty years ago for a fraction of the price. But with the explosion of thrifting taking over the fashion community, many of these vintage finds are either impossible to find or highly overpriced. That is where @julia.tric came in with her small business, @anotherlifeny. This young businesswoman sat down with @madirez to discuss Another Life NY and her journey with social media and sourcing sustainable luxury fashion.
DD: Introduce yourself to our Dear Diary readers.
Julia: “My name is Julia, and I recently graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology. I am a social media influencer and small business owner.”
DD: How did you begin your business, Another Life NY? Have you always been interested in vintage fashion?
Julia: “I started Another Life NY in January 2021. Another Life NY is an online boutique that sells authentic vintage and pre-loved bags. I always valued designer bags, new or vintage, and started to grow my vintage bag collection. Then, I said to myself, 'I want to make this into a business, and I want my customers to feel the same excitement I feel when purchasing a bag.' As for the name, Another life NY, I wanted to emphasize how vintage/pre-loved bags could be given 'another life.'”
DD: How did you grow your following on both your personal account and business account?
Julia: “I previously modeled, and I gained most of my followers from that. As I became an influencer, I started creating content 24/7 and posted every day, which helped increase my following. As for ALNY, my followers supported me, and I also grew using relevant hashtags.”
DD: What are some of your favorite designers for classic pieces and trend-driven pieces?
Julia: “Favorite designers for classic pieces would be YSL and Dior. They have timeless pieces that you could hold onto forever. For trend-driven pieces, I would say look at Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. There are many timeless pieces there too, but those designers try to stay 'in trend.'”
DD: How do you see the fashion industry changing in the future, especially with a current emphasis on sustainability and slow fashion?
Julia: “I think in the past three years, society has pivoted and realized how important sustainability is. Thrifting, recycling, and reworking are all shown in TikTok videos and posted on social media. No, I do not think it is a trend; I feel society is more conscious of what they are buying, whether reducing their fast fashion purchases or thrifting or purchasing great quality pieces that last a lifetime. I have realized that the fashion industry has made it a point to change or use recycled materials. Eco cycle methods are used for more efficient production methods, change consumption patterns, and prevent waste by focusing on recycling.”
DD: Where can our Dear Diary XO readers find your items to purchase?
Julia: “Another Life NY is currently sold on Instagram and Depop. ALNY gets new vintage/pre-loved bags in weekly, and we share sneak peeks on IG stories before posting. Make sure to turn on post notifications because the bags sell fast! If you are interested in any bags, you can direct message to snag them! Be sure to say you came from Dear Diary XO for 10% off!"
DD: Now, for our final question of each interview, what now?
Julia: “For ALNY, I would love to create a website where my customers can easily go and shop for the bags. ALNY had its first pop-up in September, and it went well. I am hoping to do more pop-ups so customers can shop in person. I also have been brainstorming on more aspects of ALNY. Not just vintage designer bags, maybe sourcing luxury clothes, perhaps designing a sustainable line alongside it! Who knows, I am always coming up with new ideas."
“I am always looking at ways to grow my influence. My audience follows me for my authentic opinion and fashion! Being an influencer has allowed me to work with many infamous brands, create my own candle called, Breakfast in Bed with Brooklyn Botany, create an IG story filter, attend events, and meet talented people."
XO