SOUNDS LIKE VEEVAUNT

Sounds Like VeeeVaunt

Vivant, 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

employees, creating an environment that strives to develop a “person-toperson connection” with the customers. Educated and familiar with the store’s vast selection, every member of the crew is ready to answer your questions or just have an interesting conversation. Whether or not you end up making a purchase, everyone that visits leaves with a positive memory.

While Vivant does prefer to focus on in-person transactions, it is beginning to move into the online marketplace and expand the brand in this manner. Vivant has digitized a massive portion of its stock and has a comprehensive e-commerce version of its physical location. The website is updated each season with a hand-picked assembly of products that represent the current trends in vogue. While it is completely worth visiting the physical store, the virtual catalog is a great alternative to experience the magic of Vivant remotely.

In addition to their brick-and-mortar and online stores, Pomerleau and Vivant are known for their involvement in the antique flea market scene. In May of 2013, Pomerleau was offered the opportunity to sell at the prestigious Brimfield Antiques Show, a massive weeklong flea market held three times a year in Brimfield, MA. The event attracts thousands of collectors, designers, and vendors. Vivant’s booth continues to be a staple of this event and has grown over time. Today Vivant even hosts its own event known as Allston’s Greatest Yard Sale. This is a weekend journey that begins at Vivant and leads to a secret location filled with remarkable bargains just waiting to be discovered.

Today’s fashion zeitgeist is being defined by thrifting and the do-ityourself influence, and passionate companies such as Vivant Vintage are responsible for sustaining this culture. The circular economy that is created by second-hand clothing is sustainable, non-judgmental, and does nothing but create positive ripples throughout a community. So, next time you’re in the market for a completely one-of-a-kind piece at an affordable price, give Vivant Vintage a try!

They’re open every day (except for major holidays), from 11:00am-6:00pm. For web inquiries, they can be reached at ShopVivantVintage@gmail.com, for shop inquiries at Vivant.vintage@gmail.com, and their phone number is (857) 228-8565.

@vivantvintage; vivantvintage.com