An inside look at the creation, development, and uniqueness of this Oklahoma City-based thrift retail brand.
By: Morgan Bennett
"Vintage…it's not at all like today's fashion, it can not be forgotten or thrown away”- Paris Rose
“Every piece of vintage is special. Each garment emulates a feeling of nostalgia and lets you escape to better times of the past”- Casey Thompson
The story of Girlgang405 began in 2017 with its founders, Casey Thompson and Paris Rose. Casey and Paris met each other in high school and quickly became friends through a shared love for vintage fashion and similar style interests. The two have been inseparable ever since. They even attended Oklahoma State together as roommates.
After long nights in their dorm spent talking about their passion for all things vintage and all things fashion, Casey and Paris decided they wanted to turn their passionate words into actions. The two wanted to create a platform for other vintage enthusiasts to share their love for fashion. They desired to create something that would inspire others as well as themselves. Motivated to begin something great, the two began shuffling ideas back and forth, brainstorming the best ways to immerse themselves in their passions. The two found themselves asking which platform, a blog, a social media account, or a styling service, would allow them to share and collaborate unique creative ideas in a productive and impactful way. But, what if there was a way to combine all these platforms? So they thought, what better way than by creating a meaningfully branded business focused solely on thrifted vintage retail. And there, in the walls of an Oklahoma State dormitory, the idea for GirlGang405 was born.
Originally targeted towards women's vintage apparel, the company has expanded and includes an equal amount of men’s vintage apparel, as well as unisex garments. Each garment is carefully handpicked by the owners to assure quality and promote the Girlgang405 aesthetic. Since starting, the company has added personal styling, allowing those who seek this service special access to the thrifted vintage inventory. In addition, GirlGang405 has collaborated with local Oklahoma City artists, such as Marcus Leonard for a painted denim collection, in order to promote creativity and purposeful art and clothing developments.
Since its beginnings, GirlGang405 thrifted vintage retailer has done its part to foster a community of individuals whose love for fashion, expression, and creativity stand to support each other's artistic creations. Through pop-up shops, fashion shows, photoshoots and vintage apparel parties, GirlGang405 continues to manifest positive experiences for others with similar passions to provide and gain personal connections. Making further developments to grow this network, the company, for the first time in January 2020, will be hosting what is to be called '405 Fest' at the Oklahoma City Farmers Market. Open to the public, 405 Fest will host a collective of local musicians and artists, as well as an array of vendors and small events to partake in.
So, next time you're looking for a new vintage piece, a source of fashion inspiration, or personal styling service, take a trip to the GirlGang405 website (link down below) and discover a vast collection of handpicked vintage and style ideas.
Photos by: Girl Gand 405