Giving clothes a new life

Natasha Rey – Nuage Vintage

Fashionista and thrift couture enthusiast Natasha Rey is going into business with her new online second-hand clothing shop, Nuage Vintage.

Ever since she was a girl, 21-year-old Franco-Manitoban Natasha Rey has loved perusing second-hand clothing stores looking for that rare find. “I go to thrift shops at least once or twice a week,” she says. “It’s a passion.”

However, the experience could also be somewhat frustrating, because “I would find some really cute pieces and wanted to buy them, but they weren’t my size, or colour or style. And there was no-one else I could give them to, so I’d have to leave them behind.”

That was when she got the idea of starting her own business. She decided to create an online clothing store where she could resell vintage items that she found while out “thrifting.”

Her dream shop, Nuage Vintage, will have its official launch party on Saturday, February 9 at Forth Café (1), after which it will go live at www.nuagevintage.com.

“I have been working since mid-July to get Nuage Vintage ready,” says the online shop owner. “My certificate in marketing and creative communications from Red River College was useful in preparing me for what to expect during the business start-up phase. But it was CDEM’s Joël Martine who really helped me every step of the way.”

“Joël Martine was my business teacher at Collège Louis-Riel,” she says. “His course made me want to open my own business. So when I got my idea, I immediately contacted him to find out how CDEM could help me, and he made himself available, becoming my business advisor.”

Beyond her passion for clothes, Natasha Rey also hopes that her shop will be a way to reduce the over-consumption of her fellow citizens and contribute to protecting the environment.

“I found out that Canadians on average purchase 70 new articles of clothing a year, much of which ends up in second-hand clothing stores. However, only 13 per cent of thrift shop clothing is sold. That means that more than 12 million tons of textile waste goes into North American landfills each year and is burned, polluting the air and water with chemicals.”

“I hope to counter that by giving new life to used clothing that is still in good condition, and by encouraging people to buy these items rather than always going for something brand new.”

While Nuage Vintage currently only sells women’s clothing, Rey is slowing putting together a men’s collection, as well. “I really love 50s and 70s fashion, so I have many articles in those styles,” admits the budding entrepreneur. “Clothing of that era was of very good quality. I am also very much inspired by French fashion when I browse second-hand stores. I spent a year in Normandy, France in 2016-2017.”

Natasha Rey may also one day provide a personalized service to fill special clothing requests from her customers. “I will gradually see which styles are in demand.” She is also considering opening a few pop-up shops during the year to sell her clothing directly rather than just online.

(1) Saturday, February 9, 8-10 p.m. at Forth Café, 171 McDermott Avenue.

Shop online at :

www.nuagevintage.com

For more information, contact Natasha Rey at 204-981-7837 or nuagevintageshop@gmail.com