Nihibayashi Yasushi, who has been in Vietnam for 10 years, and who has worked as a manager at an IT company in Hanoi, as a weekly magazine writer, and as the representative of a local swimming school, and who is currently serving as a manager of an animation studio, talks about what he found in Danang.
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The charm of vintage shops
I like leather jackets and leather coats, and I still have seven leather jackets in my home. Leather jackets are quite bulky, so I can’t let go of them even though I get a lot of criticism from my family.
New leather jackets are hard on the skin and don’t fit my body type well, so they don’t feel comfortable to wear for several years without wearing them often. It’s also embarrassing to wear a leather jacket that hasn’t been worn in a while. Therefore, instead of focusing on new products, I started going to vintage shops in the city center. This also applies to jeans, shirts, and belts.
Vintage shops are like libraries. They have fashion from various eras and styles. I hesitate to buy brand-new clothes with high-priced, innovative designs, but with vintage items, the prices are reasonable, so I might even try it out.
4,5 years ago, when I lived in Ho Chi Minh City, I visited several wine bars.
I once went to a teashop. Although the prices were low, the concept of vintage shops didn't appeal to me, and the product display was disorganized, so I never returned.
Vintage shop in Danang
In 2025, several vintage shops opened in Danang. One of them is located on a street with many Korean-style stores and restaurants. The store is beautifully decorated both inside and out, and the products are carefully selected and displayed well. It would be no surprise if it were a shop in Shibuya or Harajuku. The selection of men's fashion is also extensive, and the staff speaks English. Payment by credit card is also available. Although there are not many Vietnamese customers, I often see foreigners from Western and Korean countries stopping by to try on clothes. The location of the store is one of my walking routes, and I often stop by there even when I don't plan to buy clothes.
Another is a leather shoe store for men. They have a wide selection of standard shoes to very classy European luxury brand shoes. After trying on a few pairs, I realized that they feel well-made and are second-hand. All the shoes are beautifully polished and the soles have been replaced and the insoles have been replaced as well. The shoes have also been replaced with new ones. After trying on one pair, I realized that the packaging was very carefully done, so I thought this would make the shoes happy too. Moreover, they offer a one-year warranty, which is reassuring.
In Vietnam, I thought that buying fast fashion online was popular, but I also felt that the number of vintage shops like the ones I introduced here is gradually increasing, which seems to be a manifestation of Vietnam’s economic development and diversification.
