Welcome to Circa Vintage Clothing.

Circa is a retail and online vintage clothing shop owned and run by Nicole Jenkins, aided by her able assistants and based in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia. Trading hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm.

For more than seven years now, Circa has focused on good quality original mens and ladies garments and accessories dating from the Victorian era to modern times. Local labels are a specialty, although some items are sourced overseas due their rarity.

As a collector, Nicole has been buying and selling vintage clothing since 1980 and at one time managed Sydney shop “Albert and Gladys”. She has also worked in costume hire, film, television, theatre and fashion here in Australia and in the UK after studying costume design and construction at Perth Technical College and the WA Academy of Performing Arts.

“My mission” says Nicole “Is to encourage people to wear and enjoy vintage clothing”.

Most vintage garments and accessories at Circa have been cleaned and restored to their original glory so they are ready to wear. Some older garments are not cleaned due to their antique or fragile nature, as they are more suitable for collecting than wearing. In addition, we stock a small number of new reproduction accessories and lingerie, when it is difficult to find the originals in good condition and appropriate sizes.

Nicole’s first book “Love Vintage” was published through Carters in 2009 and is available for sale through the retail shop and the webshop. Circa is now the sole distributor for this book, so please email for wholesale enquiries.

Nicole is also available by arrangement for talks. Here is a selection of some of the talks she has presented:

- Ladies fashions from 1920 to the late 1940s for the Art Deco and Modernism Society.
- Ladies fashion from the 1920s to the 1970s at the City Museum.
- Ladies fashions from 1820s to the 1970s to Heritage Hill museum in Dandenong.
- Ladies fashions from 1940 to 1960 for the Chelsea Library.
- Mens and ladies fashion accessories from the Art Deco eras, for the Art Deco and Modernism Society.
- Glamourous fashions of the 20th century for the Ballarat Art Gallery.

Vintage garments from Nicole’s private collection and Circa are available for exhibitions and hire by professional groups. Recent events include:

- Fashion parade of 40 vintage swimsuits at Wintersun Festival 2010.
- Fashion parade of ’40s and ’50s fashions to accompany the launch of book “Our Girls” by Madeleine Hamilton.
- Fashion parade of ’20s to ’40s fashions at the Sofitel with Chris Horne, in support of the National Gallery of Victoria’s Art Deco exhibition.
- Accessories and styling for Robert Fritzlaff fashion parades at Como House, for the National Trust.
- Exhibition of 30 vintage swimsuits at Ballarat Heritage Weekend.
- Exhibition of over one hundred years of historical dress at Buda Historic Home, Castlemaine.
- Display of dresses from 1820 to 1960s at City Museum.

More information on these events and others can be found here.

Please email enquiries to:

enquiries@circavintageclothing.com.au

All original images and text (unless otherwise indicated) remain the property of Circa Vintage Clothing. More photographs of the interior can be seen here. Please request permission before using any images or text.

Website administration by Tim Hamilton. Web design by Red Pepper Graphics.