Isle of Monday: Gabriella Carota is Bringing the 90's Back to NYC
With old-fashioned affairs being a theme in fashion, it’s no wonder why vintage garments have been front and center in the industry within the last few years. As past eras make a comeback, so do the number of vintage shops returning to the city.
For Earth enthusiasts, and those consciously living, the art of sustainable shopping is much more than a trendy gimmick, it is a lifestyle. It’s having a conscious awareness of what you buy and what brands you are supporting in hopes of creating a greater future. These are the values that New York based model Gabriella Carota pursues in her everyday hobby—vintage shopping.
With dreams of starting her own business in fashion, Carota felt it was only right to enter into the fashion market with a vintage brand. With this mindset, she set off to open Isle of Monday, a curated vintage fashion brand inspired by the looks of our favorite 90’s style icons like Carrie Bradshaw and Kate Moss.
“Starting my vintage brand didn't require a lot of up-front capital,” Carota says. “I was lucky enough to find an amazing vintage dealer. About 50% of my items come from her, while the rest of my items come from my own vintage sourcing.”
Isle of Monday carries redesigned items which means selected pieces from her collection receive a makeover. “I can always see the potential of what that garment could be,” Gabriella says. An out-of-date long flowy dress can easily be turned into a matching two-piece set simply because it’ll be “cooler” for the current era. More importantly, Carota redesigns to elongate the life of that garment.
“After I source items, about 35-40% of my items are then redesigned. I work with a Brooklyn-based redesign brand called Alayna Roe, and she reworks my vintage garments by hand. I design the reworking and she performs it,” she says.
In combination with curated vintage pieces, Carota hopes to sell soon her original designs made out of vintage deadstock fabric. The brand will work with local manufacturers in New York City to keep the process sustainable.
Each of the brand’s collections are filled with colorful, feminine pieces that feel like they’re straight out of a ’90s rom-com. With an upcoming Summer collection launching on June 6th, you can expect to find slip dresses, bustiers, lingerie, and many more.
Isle of Monday dreams of opening its very own storefront in either SoHo or Williamsburg, Carota says this will be very likely in the year to come. For now, you can visit the brand at local flea markets and pop-ups or online.
Will you be shopping with Isle of Monday? Leave a comment below.