New vintage fashion shop opens in Fife

Strange Ray Vintage has opened in the Merchants’ Quarter, opposite Ladbrokes, offering premium vintage clothing, new Boutique womenswear, retro homewares and designer leather hand-painted handbags made by Since Day Dot.

Strange Ray Vintage is owned by Rachel Valentine (30), who lives in the town, and she officially opened the shop on Saturday.

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Rachel studied fashion and business at Adam Smith College. After she finished the course in 2007, she went to London to work as a window dresser for Top Shop for two years.

She then came back to Edinburgh working at designer store AllSaints before later taking up a post as online manager at a leading Edinburgh vintage store which involved sourcing key vintage clothing, particularly rare vintage pieces. She was then the manager of a Dundee clothing boutique.

She said: “I have been selling vintage clothing online for the past 10 years. I really enjoy buying clothing and selling it on. I feel very strongly about passing vintage clothing on to be more sustainable.

“I had been renting a studio at Rebel Rebel Nails & Beauty in Dunnikier Road but soon found I was needing more space. I wanted an office as well as a shop and I have always been a fan of the Merchants’ Quarter, so when I found this unit it felt like the right time to open my own boutique. I would like to thank Business Gateway Fife and my advisor Marissa Yassen for their support.”

Rachel, who has also been selling her clothes through online fashion retailer ASOS for the past year, added: “Clothes from the 60s, 70s and 80s are back in style. I am very much about selling genuine clothing from that era which is unique.”