Lou Lou’s Vintage Fair has previously been awarded the winner of the ‘Best Vintage Fair in the UK’ award and came to Guildford Cathedral on Saturday 24 May. Its arrival was greeted with excited anticipation as its forty plus stalls offered a selection of vintage accessories, clothes, shoes, home wares and many more 1920-90s fashions. On the day, there was also a vintage hair salon and a homemade tea and cake stand to keep visitors refreshed.
Lou Lou’s was founded in Sheffield in 2008 and takes it’s travelling fair of delights to 42 cities across the UK, with Guildford being its newest location. Lou Lou’s can also be found at various festivals, so keep an eye out for them, especially if you’re hopping over to Kent to visit the Hop Farm Festival in July!
The controversial, but iconic Guildford Cathedral was the perfect venue for combining styles old and new and the crowds came in their hoards. There were stalls tucked under the arches and illuminated by the (rare) beams of sunlight that peered through the windows, giving the illusion of a cave full of hidden treasures. It was certainly a day for diving into the racks full of coats and dresses from another era to fish out a bargain or a vintage gem.
Each and every one of the stall owners had a unique and genuine passion for the vintage items they had sourced; some were collected through charity shop hauls and boot fairs, others were tracked down and bought off the internet. One vintage collector described their hobby as being a “labor of love” and it was obvious why. The stalls, tables and racks of clothes were an absolute delight to peruse and shop owners were overjoyed at seeing their wares fly off the shelves.
It seemed that Lou Lou’s understood everything their clientele were looking for, so you can see why it has been given such critical acclaim. As the rain bucketed down outside, warm and aromatic cups of tea were served alongside absolutely ravishing pieces of cake which warmed the heart. It was somewhat relaxing to just sit back and observe the hubbub around while soaking in the beauty and majesty of Guildford Cathedral.
It was a relief for fanatic shoppers to see that the beautiful clothes were not going to completely run out, whatever time of day you arrived and there were unique treasures hidden away deep in the rails. Best of luck Lou Lou’s and onwards with your mission to bring accessible vintage fairs to the UK!
Tilly Tasker