Emma, her Rogue Garms and the power of TikTok

On a cold winter morning in New York’s Lower East Side, Emma Rogue sat down with submission to share a few moments and memories of what led her here today. Emma went from being on (essentially) a pre-med track in her highschool years to becoming an overnight vintage success and key player in the blossoming downtown scene with her boutique, Rogue Garms. 

We’ve fallen head over heels for Emma’s particular point of view and the way she is introducing a whole new generation to vintage clothing, and the power of owning something truly unique – and sustainable. Just have a look below and we know you’ll be convinced as well…

PHOTOGRAPHY ELIZABETH WIRIJA @elizabethwirija @abovomanagement
INTERVIEW JESPER GUDBERGSEN @yessirjesper
STYLIST EMMA ROGUE @emmarogue and LEON HERNANDEZ @ojeras.pm USING ALL VINTAGE CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES FROM @roguegarms
HAIR CHIKA NISHIYAMA @chika_nishiyama @87artists
MAKEUP AYAKA NIHEI @ayaka_nihei using @submission.beauty
MODELS DANI @daniellemareka @wespeakmodels NICO @nicozeliks@jagmodels SASHA @0nhold4ever @kevmgmt JULIAN @julian.ruiz

Tell me a little bit about your background and how your interest in vintage fashion was sparked ?

I grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey, completely focused on my studies and not caring about fashion at all. My family always loved thrifting, my mom and I would make it a ritual to go after gymnastics class on Saturdays, but I really had no sense of personal style. I only shopped for trends and brands that my peers were also wearing, I didn’t really care about individuality. It wasn’t until I got accepted to NYU – my dream school – that I started paying attention to fashion. I started running in a circle of people who were really into unique vintage and streetwear drops. These skater boys opened my eyes to dressing for yourself and standing out in your own unique way, this is really where I started exploring and having fun with fashion. They taught me the intricacies of great vintage and how to find it, and how important hype / making an event out of drops etc is  – I was a big Supreme head for a while there, thanks to them…

 

How did that develop into what Rogue has now become?

In my last year at NYU I took some studio art classes and got really into it, thinking maybe I wanted to start my own brand. I did a collection out of repurposed denim I had lying around the house which got me really excited about starting something of my own. I guess I was a little daunted though; it seemed overwhelming to start everything from scratch and with little to no following online. In a moment of boredom, I downloaded depop and that’s where it all started getting serious. 

I had become a seasoned thrifter at this point, I was finding really great stuff for myself. One day I found a pair of amazing 90s platform sneakers that weren’t my size and the thought struck me: why not try and curate a store filled with amazing things people would enjoy, not just buying things for myself anymore? It was a $4 investment – what’s the worst thing that can happen – and immediately I had several people reaching out on the app. Making $40 on that first ever listing made me think that I was probably on to something, so I started thrifting with the purpose of reselling in mind. I started doing quite well, and I was somehow connected with depop corporate to do event photography for them, eventually leading me to work at their pop up store in soho. I never knew retail would be so much fun, I loved working with people, helping them find unique pieces that become something really special for them. The store eventually closed down, but in the meantime I had started selling at markets as well, so the online store and these occasional markets became a full time gig for me. I just couldn’t get enough of selling in person, it’s best feeling helping someone to find something they fall in love with.

How did all this develop into the Rogue Arms brick-and-mortar store ?

To make a long story short: I’m incredibly lucky to have had timing on my side, and to have made some very meaningful connections. Covid hit and there was nothing to do other than my online  business. My friend told me to focus my TikTok which blew up on me overnight – I deleted my embarrassing attempts at the dance trends and started zeroing in on depop + packing tips, and one day I woke up to a million views overnight. It was the perfect storm; people were bored at home during lockdown and many probably were thinking about starting to sell their own stuff out of sheer boredom? The first night of that video I nearly sold out of my entire depop store and by the end of the week it had 7 million views. So I kept the videos coming and rode the wave for the rest of 2020 – my online selling was paying my bills. When things started opening up in New York again last spring, everywhere I looked friends of mine were opening up shops and it seemed like there was such a buzz downtown. I kept doing popups with them, which was great but I couldn’t help but think that I should be doing the same. I always got such amazing feedback, it seemed like the time was right for me to do start my own store.

Right, there was such a moment in New York in the early Summer of ‘21.. A big shakeup like the lockdown and covid – as tragic as that of course was for so many people and businesses –  it does have a small way of flipping things to the positive. With such a lifechanging event, oftentimes it opens the door to young talent, not only for themselves daring to just go for it, but also for the gatekeepers to loosen up and give someone new a chance…

The whole Lower East Side was on fire the entire summer, so many exciting places opening up and I think you’re right: People were taking chances and maybe it takes empty storefronts and shut-down restaurants for these building owners to allow some fresh blood to get a chance at it. I’m super lucky, my friend Matt from Bowery Showroom – right next door here now – pushed me to look at this space and within a month, with a lot of help from all my friends, my doors were open and I had the most insane summer doing outdoor events and finally connecting again, in-person, with the community I have built in the last years.. It all happened so quickly and just at the right time.

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The timing was great – what else do you think has made your store so popular?

At the end of the day, yes, this is a retail store. But I like to think of it as more of an experience, a venue, a place for my community to meet and hang out. I want everyone who walks in here to have the best time, whether they buy something or not. The interviews on our TikTok are so cute, and I love our events in the summer with my sno-cone machine, hot cocoa in the winter, loud music, kids skating around and hanging out. Building a community around my stores is number one and making sales kind of comes second to me…

What are some major obstacles you’ve come across and how did you maneuver them successfully?  Initially, a big obstacle was sourcing inventory. When we first opened in June, it was difficult to keep up with demand and as a result, many of my racks were left 2/3 full.  Luckily, I was able to get in touch with a few vintage friends I’ve made over the years who now help source inventory for me and will send me boxes of stuff every so often.  I also increased my days sourcing, it takes up on average 3 days of my week.  I’ve also had to learn how to delegate.  I’ve gotten better but it’s still a learning process, especially knowing when it’s the right time to outsource work as to not spread myself too thin.

You’re part of a generation that’s tapped into vintage clothes, upcycling and sustainable choices in a whole new way. What are your thoughts on why that is?  

Learning the history behind each piece has become so valuable to me. That’s what really got me, whether someone cool had it before and you learn the story of that or the company behind the piece has an interesting background. The history of vintage clothing, the fact that there’s a story behind your unique piece and that noone else has it. That uniqueness I think holds so much value to my generation, we’re bombarded with so much new stuff all the time and it’s just not as special. When you look around my store and the clothes on the racks, the posters and memorabilia everywhere – every single thing means something to me. My focus has been on finding pieces that resonate with me, so that I can passionately introduce them to new people, or share a love of a band or favorite movie with them. There’s a kind of magic when you wear a piece that expresses something about your person, without saying anything with words.

"Whatever doesn’t sell at a thrift store gets shredded and made into rags / insulation or goes into a landfill. Knowing that I could rescue an item, give it a new life myself or sell it to someone who will treasure it and have a personal connection with it, that was so meaningful to me." - Emma Rogue

What would you say to those who claim vintage fashion and sustainability is just a trend that will go away soon?

I would say people who say that are not tapped in and perhaps looking at things with an outdated mindset.  In the next 5 years, the resale industry is projected to double to become a $77 billion industry.  What’s really promising is that over the pandemic (in 2020), 33 million consumers bought secondhand apparel for the first time.  That will only increase as time goes on.  Conscious consumption is not a trend, it’s a lifestyle choice and more and more consumers are aligning with that methodology.  Shopping sustainably is a double whammy, not only is it ethically dominant, it’s a unique experience for everyone which allows one to get in touch with their personal style in a much more creative and introspective way.  

Is there a deeper purpose behind choosing to focus on clothes that are already out there in the world – did the sustainable factor of vintage play a part on your decision to start your business ?

Yeah, it was an inherent part of it for me – giving these pieces a new life. Whatever doesn’t sell at a thrift store gets shredded and made into rags / insulation or goes into a landfill. Knowing that I could rescue an item, give it a new life myself or sell it to someone who will treasure it and have a personal connection with it, that was so meaningful to me. Going back to my NYU days again, the repurposed denim collection I made using my family’s forgotten denim sparked something in me.  In the long term, I wasn’t ready to start a fashion company doing that, but the idea of saving existing garments stuck. I’d love to eventually make an actual line of upcycled or reimagined pieces as part of the Rogue brand. My ever-growing collection of vintage bedsheets might be a good place to start !

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Besides having a sustainable fashion business, what are some choices you make every day that make a difference for the environment  ?

I’ve given up buying to-go coffee in the new year – it’s sustainable for the earth but also for my wallet! But I’m also cooking a lot more at home, so I’m not throwing away all that awful single use plastic each time. I feel like small things like that make such a huge difference…

What’s an unusual place you find inspiration? 

One place that comes to mind is this amazing YouTube channel called the 5thavenueproject.  Back in the 90s, a guy named Nelson Sullivan documented his life in New York City with the likes of Ru Paul, Michael Alig, Ernie Glam, among many other club kids and NYC characters.  Not only is the fashion iconic, but the way of life and interactions are so pure.  I highly recommend watching for anyone who wants to get transported back in time.

Explain to me what fascinates you about late nineties / early aughts fashion ?

It circles back to the personal connection. I was lucky enough to have a very carefree and happy childhood, and these things all remind me of that time in my life. It also resonates with such a wide group of people, highschoolers and millennials alike. It’s relatively close in history and is possibly the most documented era of pop history, so even kids that weren’t alive when these things first came around have full access to everything, almost to the same degree as those of us who were there.

There’s almost an innocence about it, a nostalgia for a time before social media, right? Yeah, you took the words right out of my mouth, it brings people back to that time of childhood and possibly even a less complicated place? Even people who didn’t live through have such an emotional connection to the ephemera in my store.

I try to make this a happy place, and this is the era I go to for that myself; I want the space to embody that feeling. I try to make walking into my store feel like a warm hug. 

What does the future hold for you and Rogue Garms in the coming year? 

I want to keep doing vintage alongside showing some newer pieces from friends and of course eventually my own line.  That’s what I see us growing into. In 2022, we’ll keep growing awareness around my shop via our IRL events and pop-ups, dropping new Rogue original collections via our e-commerce and Depop platforms, and continuing to build our community both in NYC and online via our Tikok/IG platforms.  For myself, a lot more traveling and collaborating is on the menu.  I’d love to make it out to Japan this year not only for the vintage but also for the cherry blossoms 🙂

I’m not sure I see it happening this year, but I’d love to grow into a multi-level experience at some point. A mens floor, womens floor, and event space that can transform itself into many different things.. Right now, I’d like to see that space exist alongside my current store – there’s something so familiar and cozy about this place, almost like a bedroom feeling, and I dont want to lose that.

@EMMAROUGE @ROUGEGARMS