Formally known as Gypsy World, the beloved Starland District store came back with a new location (just a couple steps down from their old address) and a new name to reflect their evolutionary love for vintage, The Vintage Vortex.
Lisa Garneau Doyle, the store owner, found a passion for fabric and reselling in the ’60s. She was influenced by her mother, who was an at-home seamstress, and her father was a landlord who managed many buildings and apartments. Doyle would accompany her father to flea markets for used furniture to furnish the apartments, where she learned to love the world of buying and selling. Later in life, after years of moving around America and living overseas, Doyle started collecting her archive of fabrics and clothing articles worldwide. And when she landed back in the U.S., where she went through multiple rebrandings to what we all know as The Vintage Vortex, an inclusive portal of vintage bliss for all.
So with moving into a new location (right at the beginning of lockdown) and a new name coming it’s way in early 2021, The Vintage Vortex has been met with a lot of change, but beautiful things come with change. The new location and name also meant a new team.
“One of the hardest things I’ve learned is being a boss to employees. I am still learning every day, but the team that I have right now makes me feel honored and blessed” says Doyle.
What sets The Vintage Vortex apart from the rest is, the team consists of three generations of fashion lovers from three different backgrounds, but the harmony that this trio has created exceeds more than just benign co-workers, their each other’s spiritual healers, friends, and shoulders to lean on.
If you’ve been wondering why the beloved store is all over social media now. In that case, that is all thanks to Georgie Holbrook, the social media manager at The Vintage Vortex, Fibers major at The Savannah College of Art and Design, Drag performance artist. Before becoming an employee, Holbrook was an avid customer who would often walk in to find the perfect final touch for their next drag performance. “Meeting Lisa, I just knew right away that she cared about her customers, and so the transition to becoming the social media strategist was natural”
In high school, Holbrook dabbled in costume design and styling for theatre. “As we started to produce more photoshoots to showcase our merchandise, it has rejuvenated certain skills that I haven’t practiced in a while” comments Holbrook. “And with the rebranding and all these fantasy theme editorials we are collaborating on, it just all feels like right timing”
Caroline Edelen completes the trio as the store’s Sales Manager. Her background in performance art led her to have worn every time period of costumes on stage and years of dressing up. Edelen has picked up a fein for collecting. “It was when I was living in Colorado that I walked into a little vintage boutique, and a library in my head was unlocked of a new love and passion for creativity and helping others find those too”. Flash forward to 2019 in the heat of the holiday season, it only took a few chats for Lisa to put her trust in Caroline.
“I say it all the time, but the gap between our generations is what helps make this store stronger, and we have so much knowledge between the three of us,” says Doyle. Just by walking into the store, it’s a candy shop for vintage lovers. One sees that in every little corner, looking at the walls, the love for collecting, fashion eras, and transcending them through visuals wouldn’t be possible without the knowledge of this trio. The Vintage Vortex is a gateway to vintage that honors and expresses individuality and the stories behind each piece. Whether it’s Lisa, Georgie, or Caroline greeting you into this playground of vintage, you won’t leave without a smile on your face.
Special thanks to The Vintage Vortex team: Lisa Garneau Doyle, Caroline Edelen, and Georgie Holbrook @vintagevortexsavannah
Words and Creative Direction: Daniela Guevara
Photo: Taylor Golda