Sounds Like V
VeeeVaunt
ivant, French for “living it up,” serves not only as the namesake for Justin Pomerleau and Emmy Sawich’s vintage store, but perfectly encapsulates the prevailing culture of the shop and its staff. Located in Allston on Lincoln Street, the store is quickly identifiable by the beautiful mural that dresses the bricks of the building. Vivant strives to create a “fun and eclectic atmosphere” according to Pomerleau, from the clothes, decorations, and upbeat music to the dedication and kindness of their team. In the often over-saturated apparel industry, Vivant offers a unique shopping experience that allows for a deep exploration of the history of fashion. Every inch of its 1,200 square foot space is packed with a masterfully curated collection of treasures that introduce customers to styles and ideas not present in a typical retail environment. This store carries one-of-a-kind garments that reward the buyer for spending the time sifting through endless racks of clothing. The shop offers everything from staples such as perfectly worn-in jeans and footwear to retro vinyl records and magazines. The shop also features flannels of every color and pattern, antique pins and sterling silver jewelry. In addition, Vivant’s focus on supporting the Boston community has driven them to offer a myriad of local artisan-made products as well. Regardless of the day, shoppers are guaranteed to find something in the store to catch their eye. A visit to Vivant feels like an adventure, more like visiting a museum than a clothing retailer. Justin Pomerleau or “Le Pants King’’ began selling his vintage collection in 2011, with what can only be described as an unorthodox means of transportation; a tricycle pulling a cart he constructed to resemble a small house. He proudly dubbed this mobile clothing store of his own design “Tour De Pance,” and began making his rounds through the greater Boston area. A year later, he launched his first pop-up shop in the Sowa Vintage Market. To keep up with an increased number of sales, Pomerleau hired Emmy Sawich as his personal assistant. Unbeknownst to them, the two would get married in Mexico five years later. By the spring of 2014, Justin secured their current residence in Lower Allston, on a more permanent basis. The new kid on the block, Vivant Vintage, opened its doors on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 under the leadership of Pomerlau and Sawich, who demonstrated a knack for sales and a plethora of retail experience respectively. In 2017 Pomerleau traveled to the Roundtop Antique Show in Texas and the Brooklyn Flea in New York City in quick succession, in the hopes of spreading the word about Vivant across the United States. Sawich has been making in-house products under the moniker “Emmy Ember ‘’ for four years now, and her products are currently offered in-store. The brand carries things like hand-made earrings and orgonite pyramids, as well as a beautiful line of upcycled flannels that sport new cropped
styles and bleached ombre patterns. This is just one of the many local start-up brands that you will not be able to find anywhere else. Vivant attempts to “accommodate a unisex audience as much as possible,” says Pomerleau. They do this by not separating garments by gender and by having their own in-house sizing metrics. Vivant’s team measures each piece and creates new labels that clearly indicate the exact numerical measurements rather than the brand’s assigned size. This is also beneficial as many vintage garments do not match their original labeled size due to wear and older methods of construction. As the fashion world becomes more androgynous, Vivant can be identified as one of the strongest local proponents of this movement. Alongside Vivant’s impressive stock of garments and antiques, an even more amazing group of employees are responsible for the shop’s charm. Pomerleau’s natural charisma and kindness have rubbed off on his
