Brooklyn’s Best Kept Vintage Secret: A Conversation with Armoury’s Bridgett Magyar
By Natalie McCarty
In a world where fast fashion often dominates, the birth of Armoury stands as a testament to the beauty of vintage garments and the artistry of natural dyeing. Launched during the transformative period of 2020, Armoury–beyond being a business–embodies a personal journey of self-discovery, creativity, and cultural heritage. My conversation with its founder, Bridgett Magyar, delves into the origins of her passion for curating vintage pieces and the innovative ways she blends sustainability with storytelling through clothing.
Image Provided by Bridgett Magyar
As someone who spent much of my life in New York at vintage shops—working at Funny Pretty Nice—and who has a deep appreciation for sustainability, I am thrilled to speak with someone so passionate about these principles.
From the eclectic streets of New York City to the nostalgic memories of growing up surrounded by vintage and antiques, the founder's journey is as rich as the garments they curate for their shop. In this interview, we explore how the challenges of early entrepreneurship shaped their vision, the significance of their Latinx heritage in influencing aesthetics and narratives, and the commitment to size inclusivity that sets Armoury apart in the vintage landscape.
Image Provided by Bridgett Magyar
Origin and Vision Behind Armoury
Armoury was born out of your personal love for vintage garments and natural dyeing during a unique time in 2020. How did that transition from hobby to business unfold, and what challenges did you face in the early stages?
I’ve been curating vintage since high school and college, but just didn’t quite have the language for what I was doing during those years. Once I graduated college and moved to New York in 2019, I spent a lot of time exploring thrift stores throughout the boroughs of NY, and found myself curating with the intention of finding a new home for these pieces I was collecting from Harlem to Ridgewood. I didn’t know how or when but subconsciously I was laying the groundwork for something bigger. Once the pandemic hit, there was a collective return to the land sensibility and that’s how I came to natural dyeing. I stayed with my parents in the Midwest for a few months, and my mom, who’s a vintage and antique collector herself, had these gorgeous lace fabrics that she let me experiment with natural dyeing on, with avocado and onion skins, tea bags, turmeric, etc...
Then I sort of fused those two worlds together. Vintage and natural dyes. With everything totally flipped upside down (re: pandemic) I was also becoming more aware of overconsumption culture and the magnitude of waste in the fashion industry. I remember seeing people spend enormous amounts of money, and even their stimulus checks on hauls from fast fashion brands during lockdown. I remember feeling really baffled and upset about it BUT simultaneously influenced and tempted to shop that frivolously as well, convinced it’d alleviate existential dread or something. That’s when I felt like for the first time, I really started analyzing the drive behind excessive purchasing, and what clothing, shopping, and purchasing power meant to me.
In a way, I still feel like I’m in the early stages of my business, but in the very beginning I think the most challenging part was figuring out my angle and my mission. I didn’t want to just be another vintage slinger. I wanted to uplift the significance of circular fashion, keep beautiful clothes out of landfills, and also make something with my hands. I think it’s easy to get carried away when you dive head first into a new creative endeavor, especially when you’re a one-person operation. I didn’t have anyone to really bounce ideas off of, or filter anything through at first, so it was a lot of trial and error financially, creatively, and aesthetically.
What role has your Latinx heritage played in shaping Armoury, especially in terms of aesthetics, curation, and the way you approach storytelling through clothing?
I’m Mexican but grew up in the Midwest, so I didn’t have that immediate access to as much Mexican influence/imagery/culture as I wish I did, but my mom managed to create space for it at home. When I visited Mexico City for the first time, it felt like coming home. I’ve always been drawn to color, playfulness, and romanticizing getting dressed. Mexican style is so vast and wide and the street style of Mexico City was like a collage of neon color and really effortless styling, like traditional clothing with contemporary elements. I feel like there’s a level of expressiveness that’s so innate to the Mexican, and Latinx spirit. A lot of what I source is completely inspired by this. Chunky silver jewelry, romantic and big, momentous silhouettes. Fabrics that really move, vaquera style everything.
I think because I grew up in a small town with little diversity, it’s been important for me to signal that I’m Mexican and Latinx in the way I dress. I strive to bring clothes to homes that might do that for someone else.
Image Provided by Bridgett Magyar
Your background, from growing up in your mother’s antique shops to your connection with photography, film, and sustainability, is woven into Armoury's story. How do these influences manifest in the pieces you choose for your shop?
I’ve never really grasped how deeply connected they are, but I’m realizing all these things are a preserving of a moment in time, history, and capturing something that is beyond articulation and language.
I think that there’s a similar magic in treasure hunting for vintage as an act of preservation as there is in documenting people, places, and ideas on film.
A large part of my vintage process with Armoury is storytelling. So many of my favorite artist’s work whether filmmakers or photographers - clothing is always a central part of the story and character building. I think these manifest for me, by sourcing pieces that evoke a feeling. A cardigan the color of your childhood bedroom, a skirt that moves like a wave, earrings that feel like beautiful little ornaments. Clothing that you can envision yourself dancing all night or falling in love in.
I remember learning about chromesthesia in my highschool Psych class, and a man who had impaired vision could essentially hear color. So he only wore clothing that sounded good to him and it made for this gorgeous eclectic closet. The way clothes “look” is really just the beginning of the stories we tell with our wardrobes and style.
Image Provided by Bridgett Magyar
Curating and Sourcing Vintage
What is the process like for you when you're selecting pieces for Armoury? Are there specific qualities or stories you look for in garments before adding them to your collection?
Well, aside from trying to evoke feelings of love and life and warmth, I also look for pieces that are most likely to have a long shelf life so to speak, meaning they’re usually made of materials like linen, cotton, silk, wool, and leather. I’m also a sucker for a good quirky vintage tag. I’ll source items by what I’m currently inspired by, either archetypes, music, maybe even what I’m reading. When I was reading Eve Babitz’ “Sex and Rage” this summer, I was drawn to a lot of patent pumps and oversized boho bags, an essence of adventure and running away.
How has living and operating Armoury in Brooklyn influenced your perspective as a curator of vintage clothing, especially in contrast to your experiences growing up in the Midwest?
The scope of dress and style is so vast in New York. It’s one of the best dressed cities in the world for a reason. Since I’ve moved here, I’ve always felt so safe in trying something out for size, because truly no one will bat an eye and/or the right people will stop you in your tracks to tell you they love it. It’s what makes sourcing so limitless. I never question “Is this too crazy? Too bold? Too funky?” Because there is something for everyone. And if it aligns with Armoury, then it’s sure to find a home. I like the dichotomy of the midwest and new york to be present in my collections, very practical pieces and highly impractical pieces. Lovely wool knits made by someone’ grandmother and a cherry red latex set on the same rack.
Sustainability is at the heart of Armoury. How do you ensure that your business remains sustainable while still offering unique, high-quality vintage pieces?
Sustainability means there is a meeting of the needs for the present without compromising the future’s ability to meet their needs. I think that really boils down to trying to source pieces that are guaranteed to last. Of course, I source synthetics sometimes, the 70s was obsessed with acrylic, the 80s loved lycra, and the 90s was doing a lot of faux leather and polyester. But I try my best to create collections of clothing that people will keep for the long haul and be able to pass down, or at the very least keep out of a landfill.
Size Inclusivity and Fashion as Self-Expression
Your shop is known for being size-inclusive, which is still rare in the vintage world. What inspired your commitment to creating an intentionally curated, size-inclusive collection?
To be frank, I always saw it as a no-brainer. I have always been someone who’s been curvier, and have friends and family with many different body types. I think maybe there’s something about growing up with Latina women. It’s always been important to me to be able to source for the people I love and those people all look very different physically.
Armoury values the "art of dress-up," which suggests a deeper connection to fashion as a form of self-expression. How do you view the relationship between vintage clothing and identity, and how do you hope your customers engage with that idea?
For me it’s about thoughtfulness and authenticity of course. I think sometimes it can be easy to get pigeon hole’d into these ideas of what having style looks like, but it’s so personal. It’s an art and it’s also political, regardless of how conscious we are of it.
Image Provided by Bridgett Magyar
Running a One-Woman Business
As a one-woman operation, how do you balance the creative and business sides of Armoury, from curating vintage pieces to running the day-to-day aspects of the shop?
As an artist, I’m naturally very bad at being administrative, but it is an inevitable part of the job, so I do a lot of socializing to make it fun. Luckily, the New York vintage scene is a composite of some of the most wonderful and smart people, so I’m always working with friends and that makes doing the less glamorous work fun. Being a one-woman operation keeps me on my toes, and keeps me hustling and grinding. I always say if I don’t do it, no one will. And that's just a hard truth. I am the only person who can apply to do the markets, do the networking, hand out the business cards, etc.
Also, I’m almost always daydreaming and scheming a new idea for a shoot, ways to present my vintage, or a story I may want to tell. I am someone who more often than not has the opposite problem of being uninspired: I am generating ideas to a fault.
Future of Armoury and the Vintage Movement
The vintage community is growing rapidly, especially with the focus on sustainability and conscious consumerism. How do you see Armoury fitting into this movement, and what impact do you hope to make?
I hope I can usher future movers and shakers into the vintage space! There are so many ways to be involved with vintage and sustainability. I think we need more workshops, more skill sharing, more in person learning spaces. I hope to inspire people to really think about their purchasing power, the things they put on their body, and consider curating their own wardrobe like world building. I hope to inspire finding the joy in the hunt, rewiring our brain from the instant gratification of it all. I hope I can inspire conversation about how loved clothes are the clothes that last the longest. I don't like the idea of competition in the vintage space because there is truly room for all of us. I hope people who are interested in joining the community think of it through a lens of collaboration and collective efforts. I also would love a mentor! Any elder vintage collectors or mall business owners, I need your wisdom. WE need your wisdom!
Where do you see Armoury going in the future? Do you have any exciting plans or directions you’d like to take your shop as it continues to evolve?
I have plans to get a larger studio space that can exist as a third space for all the above community events mentioned! I hope to share it with some of my beautiful friends I’ve made in the vintage community and meet many more like minded folks, or inspire change in non like-minded folks! I hope more folks who are mid and plus size find me and feel seen. I hope to continue to be inspired by my finds, to do pop-ups in cities I haven’t been yet. I hope to host conversations about how powerful this vintage universe is/can be. I hope to create events in the future that are vendor friendly, and with an ethos that I believe in, inclusive of all people and struggles that I can stand behind, ten toes down. And of course continue to find magnificent vintage.
