William Wolfen
What was your journey leading up to the launch of your vintage store, ONTHEHVNT?
Thrifting has been part of my life since the beginning. I remember as far back as pre-kindergarten my school was in a Salvation Army. Next door to my classroom was the store where they would sell clothes and we would play tag and hide inside the middle of the circular garment racks. In High school, I had a friend who would wear these fly garments and whenever I asked where they were from, he'd just give me this look and say “The Spot”. That was the case for about 2 years, until one day me and a group of friends had an event that happened to be last minute. That was the first day I went to "The Spot". My first real thrift haul included a rare Orlando Magic Snapback, as well as a Blue Mustang sweatshirt for under $20. I found my entire outfit that day and was hooked ever since. I knew no one would be wearing what I had, and that was big to me. Exclusivity is a big part of it. Down the line, I began to promote parties and would go to about 4-5 events a week. I was often recognized for my outfits and would thrift to be fashionable while on a budget. Selling vintage garments would always come up in conversation as many would inquire about my finds or ask for me to shop for them. Eventually, I stopped promoting events and was left with so many clothes that I'd outgrown and no longer had use for. In a way, the opportunity manifested itself.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I'm a big basketball guy. I love sportswear and designer brands - vintage button-downs, sweatshirts and things of that nature... but I’m mostly influenced by my love for basketball, and take that approach when sourcing.
I’m also influenced by my mom and grandmother. They have had very good taste in clothing and thrifting for such a long time. My mother would shop for me up until high school and from just being around it all the time, I guess I caught the bug myself. I’d tell her the brands I liked and would tie different styles together until eventually it became less about the brands and more about my personal style.
Describe a typical day of working on your business.
I begin with a checklist , first and foremost, followed by checking my inventory and sales report via the e-commerce site as well as Depop. Next, I follow up with pricing, marketing and promotional needs. Lastly, I’ll confirm if I need to go sourcing and plan the next adventure.
Vintage fashion is a competitive field. What do you do to stand out?
Being myself and sticking to my niche. There was a point where I would look to other brands to see what the trends were in the secondhand market. I ended up getting away from the things that allowed me to achieve early success. When I decided to get back to what I was good at, the success followed. The best thing I could do was stay true to my vision, no matter what's trending.
What are you working on right now?
Recently, we've released a fall capsule collection. I'm currently building our online shop and aiming to launch in November.
How would you describe your personal style?
My style is a mix of vintage and modern street style. I love streetwear and classic style menswear, however I lean more towards vintage street style. It seems as if the quality of clothing from prior years is much better vs. today’s mass-produced clothing that doesn’t feel as genuine. I’m a slim guy so I like to blend vintage tees, flannels, and sweatshirts with tapered pants...my go-to.
We all have multiple skills or work in various industries, which one do you wish you could focus on more?
I recently vacationed in Arizona and it gave me some inspiration to model. I was asked why I didn't consider modeling, especially for my company. I'm more of a "flat lay" person but I can agree it doesn't have the same effect as modelling the garments myself.
I've also been getting back into coding again, building a website and everything that comes with growing my company. You have to be hands-on and know what you're looking for when seeing your vision through. I’d like to tap into that aspect a bit more.
What is frustrating you right now?
The lack of balance between building my own business, my personal life, and the 9-5 life. My roll at the company requires me to take phone calls for 90% of the day. If I get inspired, I take notes when I can. The frustration comes from not being able to run the business the way I would like to, with all of the attention to detail it deserves.
If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I would say social media marketing is where I lack knowledge as well as time. I handle the computer tasks and sourcing, but I feel that aspect of branding would help the shop instantly.
Let's bring out the time machine. What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
Stick to the plan. Mentally, I've been here for a long time and had my business idea in mind. I always loved the idea of modeling, I love fashion and the rush of finding new gems. The idea of fusing sustainable fashion with frugality has been with me for a long as I could remember. The brand would have been a lot bigger today if I stayed focused, but everything happens for a reason.
If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Norris Dánta Ford. I’m definitely inspired by his style. He's also hands-on with sewing and patterns. I feel like that might be something I can do to take the brand even further into fashion.
Patrick Matamoros of SAINT LUIS. I came across his brand on YouTube featuring Patrick giving his backstory. I'd say he's an industry leader, serving the likes of Kanye West, Jerry Lorenzo, and Pharrell to name a few. I’d love to be a fly on the wall and pick his brain in regards to sourcing and curating collections.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL COLLABORATION.
My ideal collaboration would be with F as in Frank Vintage out of Canada. I was fortunate to visit the Toronto location a few years back and loved the store layout and garments. I'm not sure what the collection would look like, but that would be a dream collab for sure.
Who is a creative that has helped you elevate your work? What's the tea? Tell us why!
F As In Frank Vintage: They’re a Canadian retail store with a location in Toronto. As I mentioned, I actually got to go out there and thrift and that was probably one of my best experiences. I got some amazing pieces there, including a now vintage LeBron James Cavaliers jersey, and a vintage Team USA basketball jersey to name a few. That visit made me realize I could really make this a thing. We went to their store and picked their brains about how they got their start, what drives them and things of that nature. I realized I could really dedicate myself to this. From that moment, I basically got on the path to where I am now.
Ife: My number one supporter, She’s seen it through from day one with me always asking why I don’t have a brand and assisting from photography and various behind the scene efforts.
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
I have to stay in the store. I notice that if I slip for a little bit, I can lose touch with it.
I watch the field but not too much so I'm not picking up what other people are doing- just enough to know what's going on in my field to navigate properly.
I try to be outside as much as possible to be around art, colors, nature and everything that inspires me the most.
My family also keeps me creative- my 10-year-old son, 100%. I told him about this interview and he was so excited about it. My mom and my grandma really imprinted secondhand frugal living in me. They were really good with money because they understood where to get resources without overspending.
Do you have any future plans or dreams for ONTHEHVNT or any other projects you’d like to share?
I'll be launching my e-commerce website in the coming weeks. I’ve also played with the idea of creating brand themed garments; I have an idea of fusing my own designs with vintage pieces to make it 1 of 1. I have several plans in the works, I don't want to speak prematurely. The goal is to get my entrepreneurial pursuits in order to bring my ideas into physical form.
This member profile was originally published in November 2020.