Stitching Stories Together {Blackfeather Vintage Works}

Cultivating Creativity, Community, and Craft

Words Jessi Devenyns | Photos Baptiste Despois

Finding something at Blackfeather Vintage Works is a bit like unearthing treasure, making Blackfeather a boon for vintage lovers. Racks hang heavily with an array of seasonal finds, tables are artfully stacked with curiosities and accessories, and local art lines the walls and hangs from the industrial ceiling. Some shoppers sift through sizes, while others step behind heavy damask curtains and reappear in stylish outfits that traverse the decades of the 20th century.

Nostalgia hits like a tidal wave when stepping into Blackfeather Vintage Works. Onion-skin t-shirts adorned with familiar emblems are protected by a transparent browsing barrier, reminding viewers of bygone times when headphones had cords and melodies were etched in vinyl. Charming accessories reminiscent of red carpet fashions from the Hollywood Golden Age are tucked into shelves around the shop. Although finds span the Twenties to the Nineties, there is a special focus on mid-century garb as well as pieces that have been given new life.

Jessica Nieri, the curator and events manager at Blackfeather, makes the pieces even more special. She spends time repairing, altering, patching, and embroidering many of the items that make it onto the shop floor. From obvious modifications such as cropping sweatshirts and adding patchwork in complementary colors to the subtle Japanese art of sashiko stitching, she ushers old pieces into modern wardrobes.

“There are just so many different things about how clothes used to be made. [I am] taking things into the next century with a mend, with a fix, with making it modern,” she explains. And at Blackfeather, creativity trumps trends. Jessica continues, “There’s no right or wrong way. It’s whatever you feel like doing. Really.” As a result, her view of fashion as an expressionistic art form, the collection at Blackfeather contains everything from high-end couture vintage to the pieces that someone’s aunt made, which are Jessica’s favorites. This added artistic touch is not unexpected for those who know her.

Jessica has long been a patron of the arts. From painting and sculpture to furniture to clothes, her unflagging interest in aesthetics unexpectedly forged a partnership with Greg Wooldridge, whose personal collection of vintage objects fills Blackfeather. As the owner of Blackfeather, Greg similarly advocates for creativity to fill the space but leaves the curation of his collection—which he amassed over decades—to Jessica’s keen eye.

While Greg’s treasure trove is the foundation of this venture, expect to also find original additions from other local artists. Often, Jessica opens the parking lot to host makers’ markets or purchases pieces directly from artists to accentuate the store’s industrial brick walls and high ceilings.

Shoppers can further envelop themselves in the spirit fostered at this vintage shop by conversing with Jessica over a shared beverage or by taking a piece of history home. “This is a wonderful gathering place,” explains Jessica. “This is an open space for everybody.”

Contact
979 Springdale Rd., Ste. #98
blackfeathervintageworks.com
@blackfeathervintageworks

Did You Know?
Jessica ran Cafe Mundi, an all-in-one cafe, coffee shop, art space, and community venue that was a favorite East Austin destination in the early 2000s. While that space is now closed, Blackfeather Vintage continues her mission of creating a space for makers and artists to feel at home.

Coming Soon!
In spring 2024, Blackfeather Vintage Works will begin operating the next-door Gallery as an events space for artists.