ontheprowl

Sixteen years ago on the hunt for my college girl - Pattie Boyd wannabe- sweatshop free wardrobe I stumbled upon a pair of Taxi shoes. Too small for me or any of my girlfriends I placed them back on the shoe rack. As I made my way to the check out with my armful of late 60s mini dresses, something in me told me to turn back and get the taxi shoes anyway. "Maybe I'll just put them on EBay or something," I said silently to myself. As I sat down later that night to learn the ropes of online selling I thought it was a bit silly to just put up one pair of shoes all by themselves, so I decided I would sell off some of my vintage clothing collection I didn't wear as much. So, I bought my first digital camera, a 20 dollar point and shoot (this was 2003 after all), taped a bed-sheet to the wall, took the light shades of the lamps, and modeled the clothes myself. And well, as they say, the rest is history. Since that day I have managed to offer new vintage clothing items each week. My love of 60s pop culture, ye-ye, and mod, has spread to adoring all the decades of the 20th Century.

Ten years ago I was diagnosed with a chronic auto-immune disorder that keeps me rather ill. Dreams of a fast paced career in the art and fashion world had to be halted as I found myself trying to navigate through my new normal. Working and illness don't naturally go hand in hand, but Prowl has given me the motivation and strength to wake up everyday and make the most out of the moments I do feel healthy. It anchors me to a steadfast happiness and goals that I can grasp. I have now sold around the globe to celebrities, costumers, stylists, musicians, clothing brands, and so so so many amazing fashion conscious ladies. So it's because of you, dear customers, that I now have this beautiful and enriched life. Not a day goes by where I'm not thankful.

I have a lot of fun keeping clothes out of landfills and giving people the opportunity to score something no one else has. When I first started all those years ago I had no idea how impactful vintage would become in the world of sustainable fashion. It’s pretty incredible! I can confidently say I’m in this for the long haul. Each day Prowl grows bigger and bigger! I have so so so much more in store in the years to come! I plan on slinging old clothes until I’m 90!

And the taxi shoes? Well, they never made it to the "sell" pile. They are now a permanent fixture in my home and serve as my little mascots, reminding me how sometimes in life it all comes together in wild ways we could never have imagined.

Love and Kitten Whiskers,
Bessi