A vintage fashion outlet will mark four decades at the heart of the thrifting scene with anniversary celebrations at its Covent Garden and Camden stores in the coming months.
Rokit Vintage opened in London in 1986 on Camden High Street, operating from a converted butcher’s shop fitted with meat hooks used to display clothing and a cold store repurposed as a fitting room.
Shopping second-hand, once considered a niche habit, is increasingly becoming a first choice for consumers across generations.
Rokit sales assitant Sam Foggatt said: “We get people coming in looking for ’70s pieces for events, others who just enjoy browsing, and tourists who want something quintessentially British to take home.
“Today’s thrifting is a big moment.”
The unconventional retail space helped define the brand’s identity and reflected the experimental spirit of London’s vintage fashion scene during the 1980s.
Over the decades, the retailer has grown alongside major cultural movements, from the club kids of the 1980s to the rise of early hip-hop and alternative streetwear scenes.
Rokit has also supplied vintage pieces worn by artists including Amy Winehouse, reinforcing its place within London’s fashion history.
Describing his style as “sludgy with a muddy beige”, Foggatt said the appeal of thrifting continues to attract a wide range of customers.
Dressed in an Edwardian-style fencing suit layered with carefully chosen necklaces, including an antique key worn at the centre, the 29-year-old’s look reflected the expressive and theatrical nature of vintage fashion.
In a fashion landscape shaped by Pinterest aesthetics, TikTok trends and rapidly changing micro-styles, many shoppers are turning away from fast fashion in favour of vintage stores and resale platforms such as Vinted, where individuality and sustainability often take priority over mass-produced trends.
The growth of second-hand fashion has been driven by increasing environmental awareness and changing attitudes towards fast fashion.
Younger consumers in particular are prioritising sustainability, individuality and personal style over mass-produced clothing, contributing to the continued rise of vintage retail across London and beyond.
As Rokit continues its 40th anniversary celebrations throughout the year, the retailer remains part of a wider shift in fashion culture, where vintage shopping has evolved from a niche subculture into a mainstream form of self-expression.
Credit: Alicia Olaniran
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