The VFG believes that informed selling and buying communities are good for the vintage-fashion industry as a whole, and all visitors to the website have access to the VFG resources. These are continually updated and constantly evolving, thanks to a dedicated volunteer staff.
Our blog features our picks of the freshest vintage items, member news and articles. We have also created a growing series of articles on some classic designers.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of vintage fashion.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international community of people with expertise in vintage fashion. VFG members enjoy a wealth of resources, avenues for promoting their shops and specialties, and camaraderie with others who share a common interest and passion.
President: Maggie Muellner/MagsRags
I grew up in hand-me-downs from various cousins. Despite that(!), I started wearing and collecting vintage in college and have been selling online since 2001. My favorite era is the 1940s—it appeals to my eye and suits my personal sense of style. I sell on Etsy and MagsRags.net. I joined the VFG in 2007, I served as a Member at Large in 2021, and last year I was Vice President. I am also part of the VFG Shop on Facebook admin team, which includes shopVFG on Instagram.
I’m a retired midwife and GYN NP, and a self-taught dabbler in multiple fields, from graphics to gardening. Married, widowed, remarried, with a grown daughter who still models vintage for me when we can manage it. I spent many years in community theater, acting and costuming. I still work periodically with a Golden Age of Radio group, where I get to wear my best 40s vintage—including a hat! But I’ve stepped back from more time-intensive theater the last few years to indulge my travel itch—that has taken me to Europe, Southeast Asia, and most of the Hawaiian Islands. I look forward to discovering what else life has in store for me.
Vice President: Maggie Wilds/denisebrain
I was born vintage. My parents were older, and their parents were older too. I was surrounded by older thoughts, behavior, and things—clothes, for instance.
My degrees are in music. Much of my life has been spent playing horn in orchestras and I have mentored quite a few horn students in college and private teaching.
Meanwhile, I’ve always loved old clothing, and was wearing it from the age of 13. I began selling vintage clothing as denisebrain in 1999. While still making music, vintage fashion is my second career and I’m smitten by it. There’s so much to know, and so much quality and variety to be found. I love that it is the most beautiful of reuse. I’ve recently shared what I’ve learned in a book, Wear Vintage Now: Choose It, Care for It, Style It Your Way.
Manatees are another passion. I donate 10% of my earnings for manatee protection, and work to raise awareness of their plight as endangered animals.
A VFG member since 2005, I wrote and continue to expand the VFG’s Fabric Resource. It was my honor to serve as VFG President, and now to serve as VP.
Treasurer: Victoria Lazarova/Vintagiality
For me, vintage fashion wasn’t a love at first sight but rather a slow and growing appreciation that became a passion. I first stumbled upon it when I found a stunning 1950s dress at an estate sale on Martha’s Vineyard in the early 2000s and felt an immense draw to it for its beauty, meticulous stitches, and in some way, the sense of presence of its previous owner.
It sparked a passion to research and learn about the designers, brands, and stores of bygone eras which gives me immense pleasure to this day. It sparked the creation of my shop, Vintagiality which has been on Etsy since 2010.
It also introduced me to the VFG, a wonderful community of passionate and knowledgeable people with unfaltering dedication who have been so kind to share their expertise.
This is my third year on the VFG board and my second one as Treasurer. I have been on the VFG Label Resource team, one of my most favorite duties, since shortly after I joined.
Secretary: Harriet Ulph/Hattysattic
Like so many of us, I have been drawn to vintage clothing and accessories for as long as I can remember. My first experience selling the items I’d amassed from Saturday jumble sales was in a makeshift stall at Glastonbury Festival. At 17, I had found the perfect way to fund my vintage habit—and have been both buying and selling my way through life ever since!
I gradually moved from fairs and festivals into my own website, ‘tastyvintage’ for the next decade. From 2008 to 2019, I also had a bricks and mortar shop in Lincoln, UK, before downsizing to a private studio where I sell by appointment. I still sell online via Etsy, and from my own website. You can find me on Instagram as @afternumbernine.
I first joined the VFG in May 2004, and served several terms on the VFG board in the early days. I will always be grateful for the support and knowledge I found—and continue to find—here. Self employment can be a lonely business! I’m enjoying being back in the boardroom, and seeing just how much the VFG has grown since my previous involvement.
Member at Large: Jolene Bramer
I have had a love for vintage clothing since I was a child, though at the time I had no idea that the clothes were vintage or what vintage even was. They were just unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that I adored! I have been in the vintage business since 1999. After my first child was born, I started out on eBay. Wanting to remain at home with my children (I am now a mother of three), I decided to go all in, starting with selling my personal vintage collection. The rest is history. Since then I have sold on a multitude of platforms. I launched my own website and completely rebranded in May of 2022 (now “Black Lotus Vintage”, previously “Intrigue You Forever Vintage”). I co-admin a Facebook vintage sales group, The Vintage Coterie, where newcomers to vintage (buying or selling) are encouraged to learn and ask questions. My main shop is on Etsy, my website is blacklotusvintage.com, and you can also find me on Facebook and Instagram. I have assisted the VFG with the ShopVFG Facebook pages and Instagram account. This will be my first year as a MAL and I am very excited about it.
Member at Large: Terri Brown
I have always loved all things old; architecture, clothing, décor, people. When I was in college back in the 1970s, I worked at a dancewear shop, right next door to a used clothing shop called “Hand-Me-Downs”. It was run by two gorgeous ladies in their 20s who were always well-dressed in vintage finery. When they had buying appointments, I cheerfully minded their store. My “payment” for this favor was the pick of their haul! And so began my love and obsession with vintage clothing. I still have much of my original collection (even those pieces in the photo above, taken 50 years ago). Some are still wearable, others lovingly worn to shreds but all are treasured belongings of my past, retained in my possession and memory of that time in my life. As my heart allows, I slowly part with and pass along my offerings at Vintage Devotion on Etsy and eBay which I’ve maintained for 20 years. I feel so honored to be a member of the VFG for the past 19 years, an organization that promotes a greater understanding of the unique nature of vintage and the quality it represents especially compared to today’s fast and disposable fashion.
Member at Large: Abby Kuehne
I am the owner and operator of For the Love of MCM Vintage and have been playing vintage dress up since I was a child, in 1950s prom gowns my mom would buy me from a local vintage shop. I have dealt in midcentury modern furniture and vintage clothing for ten years now and am excited to bring hand-curated vintage finds to collectors all around the globe.
I am self taught regarding my work in vintage and always am growing and learning, which keeps me excited and always on my toes. My background is in journalism and public relations, so as a proud member of the Vintage Fashion Guild, I take pride in research and accuracy of the products I offer. Sustainability and eco-friendly choices are important to me and one of the reasons I not only wear and collect vintage and midcentury modern but also why I choose to work diligently to bring more sustainable options in clothing, household and furniture into the market.
As a first-time member of the VFG board as a Member at Large, I look forward to learning more about the day-to-day operations of the organization. I am thrilled at the opportunity to become more involved in a nonprofit I greatly believe in, in order to continue setting a standard in both buying and selling vintage worldwide.
Member at Large: Sandra Mendoza
My name is Sandra Mendoza and I have been wearing, collecting and selling vintage for over 25 years. I know, I was like 2!
Launched in August 2005, Debutante Clothing started as a vintage style blog and evolved to a full fledged vintage clothing shop with a brick and mortar boutique in Downtown Pomona and e-commerce site. If you want to get to know me, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
My work includes published articles about vintage and fashion history, interviews with costume and fashion designers, styling, consulting, and serving as vintage fashion expert witness in a high profile fashion case.
The Debutante Clothing vintage shop is located in downtown Pomona, CA in the heart of the Arts District.
Member at Large: Diana Peloza
My lifelong passion for fashion ignited during childhood. Growing up with a thrifty mom who emphasized the value of quality fabrics and construction, I developed a keen eye for detail and a profound appreciation for classic styles.
Post-college graduation, I ‘fell’ into the garment industry, initially managing a menswear showroom at the Downtown Los Angeles Mart. I quickly transitioned to fitting and showroom modeling, working primarily as swimsuit and sportswear model. I spent nearly a decade immersed in the design rooms of Southern California, gaining invaluable insights into the nuances of garment construction.
Around the same, I started Poshthreads, my online shop. Joining the VFG deepened my understanding, laying the foundation for a two-decade-long journey in the vintage fashion realm.
Life led me through diverse roles, from fine art gallery director to residential construction project manager. Recently, I’ve circled back to my first love, vintage fashion, enjoying the camaraderie and wealth of knowledge within the Vintage Fashion Guild.
Today, my husband and I travel the country on our Harley-Davidson, where I source many items for my Poshmark, eBay and Depop shops. My concentration is vintage lingerie, specifically Victoria’s Secret pieces, but I have a love for anything unique and beautiful.
Member at Large: Heather Ramey
I started wearing vintage in my early teens, raiding my parent’s clothing from the 60s and 70s and pairing with army surplus and thrift store finds.
After graduating with a BA from the fashion design program at VCU in Richmond, VA, I moved to New York and worked as a designer until 2010 when I switched to freelance and started Noble Vintage Clothier.
I had been inspired by NYC’s vintage-themed parties and was looking for a more sustainable career and decided that selling vintage might be that path.
Over the years I’ve sold at in-person events in NYC and Brooklyn such as Manhattan Vintage, A Current Affair and the Jazz Age Lawn Party. I also have a website, and a women’s and men’s shop on Etsy.
During Covid I relocated to Virginia and have been setting up at the DC Flea, the Sturbridge Show and Manhattan Vintage.
I became a VFG member in late 2011, regularly utilizing its label resource and routinely contributing to the fashion parades and fresh vintage threads. 2023 is my second year on the VFG Board serving as a Member at Large, and I have been working towards reorganizing the Pinterest Boards.