The Art of Vintage: A Conversation with Janina Angel Bath
How Empress Vintage Curates Luxury Through Timeless Craftsmanship
Thrifting and vintage shopping are on the rise these days, as more people develop conscious consumption habits that challenge fast fashion and the disposable commodity mentality. This shift reflects a growing appreciation for quality, history, and sustainability in our wardrobes. Among those leading this movement is Janina Angel Bath, a curator with impeccable style who has dedicated herself to the preservation of luxury through the thoughtful curation of vintage clothing.
As the founder of Empress Vintage in San Francisco, Janina brings nearly two decades of expertise to her craft, carefully selecting, restoring, and sharing extraordinary pieces that tell stories of craftsmanship and design excellence.
Ahead of her upcoming shopping event with Rethink the Runway on April 13th, our Program Director Mira Musank spoke with Janina about her journey, her unique approach to vintage restoration, and why investing in these timeless garments offers both personal style and environmental benefits.
Come to our Shopping Event with Empress Vintage on Sunday, April 13th, 2025!
Mira: Tell us a bit about yourself--how did you get into this work, and what makes you continue doing what you do?
Janina: A friend of mine dressed in all 1950s and 60s clothes. She worked at a vintage store. I had only ever been to thrift and antique stores. Once I entered the vintage store I was instantly hooked on the wondrous garments and connection to history. I moved to Portland, OR, soon after and began to study vintage by working with vintage business owners. They were my mentors and taught me fabrics, how to fit people, etc.
When I moved to the Bay Area I managed a vintage store and then eventually opened my small shop, which after a couple years turned into a larger store. I now have a showroom in San Francisco. I can’t stop because I love to restore and care for vintage. It’s a deep love that grows everyday.
Mira: Would you share a little bit about your process? I.e. from sourcing vintage pieces, determining their quality and value, reaching out to potential buyer(s) for that special piece, etc.?
Janina: My number one with sourcing vintage is quality. There are details and tailoring that you just can’t get nowadays unless you are buying couture or special designer pieces. What’s crazy is that basic 80s and 90s labels were creating incredibly detailed pieces that just wouldn’t happen today. Plus, the quality of the fabrics themselves have gone down dramatically. I’ve had a store since 2011 and have been working in vintage since 2005.
People reach out to me with their mothers and grandmothers items. I handpick all pieces and do all of the restoration myself. My love of fashion and styling keeps me up to date on what’s happening on the runways so I’m always keeping that in mind when buying for the showroom. I also love vintage costume jewelry and have built quite a large collection.
Mira: When we talked last time, you mentioned to me the other day that vintage fashion is not a monolith - each stylist has their own lens in curating fashion. Would you share more about that?
Janina: Please don’t lump vintage sellers into a monolith. Every seller has their own eye and point of view. What I do can be drastically different from others. One thing I focus on is restoration. From cleaning to mending to so much more, I love bringing the clothes as close to as brand new again as possible. Not every seller is interested in that.
It takes a LOT of extra work and care. I also love having an eclectic mix of pieces from so many different designers, eras and styles. Some sellers stay within one or two categories but I love having a wide range to choose from.
Mira: How do you convince someone to get vintage pieces from you, Janina Angel Bath of Empress Vintage, instead of getting fast fashion?
Janina: Fast fashion is an abusive system that is polluting the world. It may be cheaper than some other options but at the end of the day it is costing everyone more. My number one is you have to think of cost per wear. Maybe you purchase a vintage leather jacket for $150-$250…does that sound like a lot to you? Well, a vintage leather jacket will most likely last another 30-60 years, possibly the rest of your lifetime.
But a fast fashion piece may only last a few wears or if you’re lucky up to 10 years. Plus, fast fashion uses plastic materials that have undesirable chemicals in them. I saw a tag on a new garment the other day that had a cancer warning tag on it. No thank you!
Mira: It’s really wild seeing the difference in clothing quality in the 1990s compared to the 2020s. I’m personally excited to see you giving us examples of such quality differences. The Rethink the Runway team is looking forward to this co-created shopping event with Empress Vintage! What are you looking forward to in this event?
Janina: I’m looking forward to people discovering the showroom and to taking a conscious approach to buying clothing. I love helping people find the perfect pieces for them. Having a personalized shopping experience is much more rare these days. Can't wait to host this event for Rethink the Runway!
Come to our Shopping Event with Empress Vintage on Sunday, April 13th, 2025!
Many thanks to Janina for doing this interview, and we hope many readers can join us in-person on April 13th! You can also follow Empress Vintage on Instagram.
With gratitude,
The Rethink the Runway Team
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