Le voyage créatif

This Sunday I am sharing with you a great and busy talent, native to New York, residence of Philadelphia, and 25 years old.

She just got engaged, is renovating a house with her love from the 1920′s, and is spending as much tim as possible on the beach this summer.

Meet Ada Egloff, the brain behind the fabulous vintage store Oma.

Well, Oma isn’t just a vintage store, it works as a creative space where artist can feature their work, events, and lots of parties as well, according to Ada.

I came across the Etsy store first, which led me to her real life store in Philly, Oma.

I loved the effortless real life styling that seemed like a peak into a friends closet, or playing dress up one afternoon.

When it comes to people’s style she finds very inspiring, Ada says; I think Charlotte Gainsbourg is a very modern style icon and she epitomizes androgynous cool. Tilda Swinton takes risks in her wardrobe and sort of goes against the mainstream flow, which I find very inspiring. I pretty much worship anything designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga. I also like to look to icons of the past – Lauren Hutton, Grace Jones, Lauren Bacall, Catherine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, Diana Keaton, Mia Farrow.

Where do you draw inspiration from when it comes to your unique style in the clothes you pick out?

My style inspiration is always changing but I look a lot to runway and designer fashions, particularly in directing the course of the vintage shop. I try and find older pieces that feel current and fresh to keep the store relevant. I am also influenced by old movies, music, fashion, art as well as individuals and street style. My parents and grandparents are hugely inspiring to me as well and I am so grateful to have them as influences.

Take a look at this.

Tell me a bit about what you studied and other places you may have worked before you started Oma?

I went to LaGuardia High School for Music, Art and Performing Arts and received a degree in theater. For college I attended Barnard College and graduated with a degree in English and Art History. I started Oma very soon after college, but before that I did some internships (Vogue and Elle Magazines) and worked for a short spell at an auction house here in Philadelphia called Freeman’s (in the couture department). Aside from some freelance editorial stuff, I opened Oma in 2009.

On how she got to open Oma she says;

I had been running my Etsy shop Lollycrisp Vintage for nearly a year when I started looking around at storefronts because I wanted to expand the business. I found a wonderful old shop space in Northern Liberties here in Philadelphia and the price was right, so that’s how Oma was born. I went back and forth on the name for a while, but settled with Oma in honor of my maternal grandmother. Oma means grandma in German and my oma is one of my greatest style inspirations. She was bohemian and elegant and daring – so I thought it fit.

Do you collaborate with anyone?
Well opening the shop was a collaboration with lots of generous and artistic friends. I had help building the space, painting, etc. Rick Banister of P’unk Avenue (www.punkave.com, www.whoisrick.com) – a graphic and web design firm here in Philly – did my logo and website. Print Liberation (www.printliberation.com) designed and silkscreen my shop tote bags. We have a variety of different artists and filmmakers in and out of the store with exhibitions and performances, etc. I am also currently carrying a very select group of items designed by my sister Sydney from her line BOYCHICK. (There’s no website for the line yet but you can view her Etsy vintage shop here: http://twigvintage.etsy.com). Otherwise the shop is all me!

What got you to work with vintage clothes?

I’ve loved vintage since I was a teenager. Living in NYC I was exposed to the best vintage the world has to offer – shopping at great spots on the LES or the East Village and later in Brooklyn. I started out collecting for myself, but when I moved to Philadelphia, I got more into thrifting and my love for vintage clothing morphed from having a killer personal wardrobe to collecting in order to share my finds with the world.

When opening a store wether online or in a city, I’m always curious how they all go about finding their gems.

As continously having a great selections of clothes for sale is quite the challenge.

Ada goes about it like this;

I am looking for vintage wherever I go. Specifically, I target thrift stores on the outskirts of the city, in the suburbs, rural areas, etc. I also go to as many flea markets as I can as well as estate sales, and the occasional eBay auction. I also work with some really interesting older women in the city who’ve collected clothing their whole lives.

I am curious on the other events Ada has going on in her store, so I ask her;

As I mentioned earlier, despite sales events and holiday parties, we have a variety of art exhibitions and even film screenings. We’re always looking for new and local artists who share the shop’s aesthetics to expose them to our customer base.

What are some of the future plans for Oma and you?

For now Oma is going to keep chugging along as-is but I’d like to expand and carry more new, young designers for clothing and accessories. I would also like to get more involved in more collectors antique items. I can’t say that Oma will stay in Philadelphia forever, and in my fantasy-future I’d love to take the shop cross country and open up in Venice or Silverlake in LA.

I’m so excited to see what becomes of Oma and Ada, as I am sure this is not the last time we hear from this wonderfully creative soul.

Thank you Ada for taking time to tell us about Oma!

Now I’ off to Paris!

See you soon.