Though her background is in visual merchandising for fashion retailers, Amanda Vega quit her full-time job four years ago to pursue music as a singer and songwriter. When she hit a creative roadblock, she switched her attention to selling vintage clothing on Instagram.
This new creative outlet grew from a side project into what she now calls Kaleidos, an online store that carries hand-selected vintage apparel and a curated collection of independent designers and brands. The Virginia-based shop officially launched last May, and since then they’ve popped up at 52 O Street Artist Studios and Ebenezers in DC.
This weekend, Kaleidos will pop-up in Union Market, bringing their products out for shoppers to check out in person. Kaleidos curates for the ethically-minded shopper, working with brands that are conscious of ethical production. As for the styles themselves, the mix of vintage and new makes for an interesting selection of one-of-a-kind alongside trendy apparel and accessories, from wide-leg denim trousers to vintage cropped Calvin Klein jeans.
Eventually, Vega hopes the pop-ups will lead to a brick-and-mortar home for Kaleidos.
“The ultimate dream for the shop would be to open up a brick-and-mortar store one day where I can also use the space to host creative events,” says Vega. “When someone walks into my future brick-and-mortar store, I want them to feel ‘all things good.’ I want my products, the people, the space, and the energy of my store to reflect that—’all things good.’”
The pop-up will take place beside Ah Love Oil and Teaism at Union Market, 1309 5th St., NE, from May 13 through 15. The pop-up will be open 11 AM to 8 PM on Friday, May 13, and 10 AM to 8 PM on May 14 and 15.
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
