I came to San Francisco with a vintage pair of jeans that was about to let me down. I had bought it in a thrift store in Lyon, last February. Just four months earlier. As soon as I had left the store, I noticed the butt was already pretty worn out, like you could almost see the sunlight throughout the fabric, so I came back and the vendors basically told me “yeah well, pick up another one”. I didn’t want to pick another one! You guys know too well how finding the perfect fit is, especially in a thrift store. It’s a lucky draw. Not sure if I expected them to have it fixed but I left with a bitter taste. Thrifting is great, but -note for myself- lookout for details…
I love this pair, though. Its orange tab intrigued me and so I went learning that Levi’s tabs all tell a unique story. The orange one marks the 1969 to 1999 era, with a more experimental collection called ‘fashion denim’(lots of shirts, jeans hats, flares and boot cuts). If you wanna geek around, watch this video 👇
That was a good reason to reach out to Audrey, who is among the very few denim repair experts in San Francisco. Remember Clara Metayer, in Paris? Even she knows Audrey. Skilled mending is a small world.
my orange tab • after Audrey's magic... can you tell it's been repaired? No but seriously.
Audrey repaired my jeans for $60. I probably could have bought a new pair of average quality denim, even two pairs of fast fashion. But it made me so incredibly happy to spend these dollars celebrating the craft of a skilled human being, all while waiting, like a child under the Christmas tree, for that day when I could wear it again. Building history made me proud.
I felt even more connected to Audrey when she decided to join us and participate in the very first Objet soirée -alongside Stella Stark. And I know for a fact people loved meeting with her!
Audrey creating magic at Objet, La Première
Talking about Objet soirées, we're psyched to announce the second one -or 'la deuxième' as we say- coming later this month in San Francisco. Mark your calendars for ✨ September 27th ✨ Venue to be announced very soon.
Without further ado, I am excited to introduce you to Audrey!
Audrey, what do you do?
I run Salvage Studio, I do denim and garment repair in San Francisco. I basically help you keep beloved clothes in circulation and out of the landfill. I've repaired 1000+ jeans, sweaters, outdoor gear and special vintage and modern pieces in my sewing studio!
How did you start sewing?
I grew up in a very crafty household, my mom always had craft projects for us to work on, and we just had a sewing machine around and available to use. It’s a little blurry how I specifically learnt, but my first remembered experience was that my mom had signed me up for a one week sewing camp in the summer and we had to buy a machine for me - I still own it, actually it’s the one I brought to the Objet event! [laughs]
I was 7, so it’s at this point 23 years old and it still looks and works amazing! Anyway, so I bought that machine for summer camp, and I think we made a shirt. I remember vaguely it was a red bandana fabric and a puff sleeve blouse. Very early 2000s looking!
From then I was very inspired to make clothing. It wasn’t perfect. I didn’t use patterns. It was just kind of scrappy and funky, very up-cycled looking.
Where you excited to go to that camp?
My mom definitely was not into sewing. My grandma yes, she had a whole sewing room. So yes, I assume that I wanted to go!
Then through my elementary and middle school, I danced and would have all these dance costumes after recital. I would cut them off, Frankenstein them into new dance costumes and create a bunch of up-cycled fashion.
In high school and college, it was more of a dormant hobby. If something broke I would fix it but I wasn’t actively working on projects.
What did you study?
Architectural Engineering. So nothing related to fashion or textile. All maths and science. During my senior year, I had a hole in my schedule and signed up for a textile class where I learnt how to do dyeing - shibori dyeing, block printing, and improved my sewing skill - I ended up making a quilt for the final project. I sort of rediscovered how much I loved it… but moved to San Francisco shortly after.
“Shibori is a way of making patterns on fabric through exposing only some portions of the fabric to dye.” • block printing
When and why did you move to San Francisco?
I moved to San Francisco eight years ago for work, at an engineering company. I did bring my sewing machine but it didn’t have a permanent space in my apartment - I had to take it out from under the bed and find a space to put it. So it wasn’t until the pandemic that I started sewing again.
Thinking back, all of my hobbies and desires in my childhood were creative. But I also had the talents in maths and science. And I went with the practical mind of “get a degree in maths and science and you’ll be set”. I think deep down, I’ve always felt it wasn’t the right path for me.
What was the trigger in your career?
I pursued two different careers - two different jobs - within engineering. First was electrical design for buildings, and then I transitioned to construction management. It just never felt like I was working towards a mission I wanted to. It was just a job. And I had the Sunday scaries. And it wasn’t until midway through the pandemic that I was fed up with it. I liked my job enough, but removing going to the office and meeting with my co-workers -who I really enjoyed hanging out with, and physically going to job sites, the actual functions of the job, I didn’t enjoy.
Then what happened? How did it start?
A Thrifted Wardrobe
Through the pandemic, while I was still working that job, I had started an Instagram account called A Thrifted Wardrobe, which was kind of my way to regain my creative side again. It was me posting outfits in the beginning. I’ve always liked dressing, thrifting, vintage and putting together outfits. So it was a way to creatively showcase the outfits that I was wearing.
Through that, I really wanted to have an educational component: thrifting tips, how to best wash your vintage so you don’t ruin it or it doesn’t bleed. And I noticed that when I talked about mending and repair, that produced the most engagement with people.
I ended up leaning into that, and a friend asked me to repair her jeans and I was like “sure!” I’ve never done this before. But I figured it out, I posted about it. And someone else reached out and asked if I could repair their jeans. Um, maybe there was something behind this!
I didn’t even watch Youtube, I just experimented and figured it out. It just takes practice. The first one I did wasn’t that bad! The jeans got another rip, maybe a year and a half later, so she gave it to me… and the repair I had done in the past was still perfect.
Starting this business was not an intentional thing. It just grew from people asking me to me gaining the confidence of “oh I can do this” and figuring it out. I then posted on NextDoor, created a Yelp page, I posted flyers around town and I slowly gained clients and it became referrals!
Only jeans?
At the time it was definitely focused on jeans. Jeans are actually really easy to work with because it’s a rigid, heavy fabric. They fail in the same ways, so it’s a lot of repeated repairs. I really felt like I mastered the crotch repair, the knee repair. There’s only a few failure points. So I’ve been slowly honing in on the best type of repair to do. Another thing I love about denim is that it’s easy to make an invisible repair, the thread really blends nicely.
But as people would bring me jeans they would ask me “oh, i have this other piece, do you happen to work on these things?” I was taking anything but definitely advertising on denim. I still do everything, but my true love is working on denim.
Are all denim the same to work on?
I don’t really care what type of denim I am working on. I will repair any type. A lot of people are under the impression that you can’t repair stretchy jeans. You can! You just have to know the way that the jeans stretch, use a patch that has the same stretch, in the same direction, and orient your stitching in the way that it stretches. You use a normal thread but don’t stitch as densely, so that it maintains the stretch.
There is a huge array of quality in jeans, but I will fix anything that someone brings me, because they saw enough value in that piece to want to fix it.
It does take more manoeuvring for heavyweight denim and I do spend a little more time on those. Just making it slightly more secure and perfect, because the repair on those are gonna last longer. In comparison, stretchy, cheap jeans are going to rip somewhere else at some point.
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Let’s say I want to get my jeans repaired, what’s the process?
It’s very simple. People send me an email with pictures. I give them the quote, and a link to book a drop off if they want to proceed. They can pick a time at their convenience. I meet with them, ask if they have any questions, but otherwise it’s just a drop off. And then when I am done I text them and they can pick it up - through my calendar.
I always try to spark conversations, big or small, about my clients’ garments. A lot of people offer that information spontaneously. They are excited to have their pieces repaired. These pieces usually have a story behind it or it’s like “I bought this 20 years ago and they don’t make it like they used to, I can’t find a replacement”
tadam ✨
What’s a rather unique story you remember?
There are so many! One specifically cool, that kinda fits the time right now, is about that guy who had his grand-father’s Olympic sweatshirt. So his grand-father went to the Olympics - I think it was 1954 - and there was a bunch of holes, and he wanted me to fix it so that he could then get it framed and hang it on his wall. So that was really cool, first because it was a piece of history from the Olympics, and second because my repair would end up being hung up on his wall!
It was a little stressful [laughs] because the holes were big enough that I needed to get patch fabric, so I took the piece to the thrift store, and held out one of the sleeves and just went down the row trying to find another sweatshirt that had a similar color that I could then cut…
the olympics sweatshirt from 1954
I am very meticulous when it comes to color matching and fabric matching [laughs]! I try to source all of my fabrics either from the thrift store or from one of the two fabrics stores in San Francisco that just sell dead stock fabrics: Fabric Outlet (in the Mission) and Fabrix (on Clement St).
With a magic wand, where are you in 3-6 months from now?
I am currently seeking a job.
I never intended to start a business, it just happened. And I don’t necessarily think I have the stamina to continue being a small business owner in full time capacity. I am not going to give up my business. It really brings me joy, and it brings me pride. I think I am good at it. The testament of it being so many repeat customers telling me that they trust me!
I have decided I want to do less sewing and more solving. I want to be a part of a bigger picture. Right now, I am an individual contributor to a grassroots movement - which I love. And if I could do this and not to worry about money, I would absolutely continue what I am doing.
I want to contribute on a much larger scale. So my kind of criteria in finding my next step is: a brand, a non profit, that’s very value-driven and is pushing an agenda around repair - reuse - recycling.
So I am hoping in the next 3 to 6 months, I can find a blend of continuing my repair business, but also working on a larger mission. I've never really been a person to dream “this is what my life's gonna be like in the next five years” because I like to keep an open mind and have flexibility.
If you have the perfect role, idea or contact for Audrey, drop a note in the comments or reply directly to this email, and I’ll gladly put you in touch!
What are your criteria to decide whether it’s going to be a good fit?
I am in the process of elimination right now. Thinking of my own values, I eliminated companies that are creating new versions of existing things. For example, a new plant-based leather technology. I don’t want to promote alternatives to things that I think people should consume less of.
I'm focusing more on existing products or services that are taking existing things, repairing, up-cycling and reselling them. Or services that help people reuse what they already have. I really want to focus on things that already exist in the world and how we can continue using those.
Is buying new something you wanna fight against?
Theoretically yes. But I also am an imperfect consumer. Because some things you just can not buy second hand. For me: shoes.
It’s not a hygiene thing for me, but, take sneakers for example, most people wear them down. So once they hit the resale market, they’ve molded to someone else’s foot. So it may not be a safe shoe to walk or exercise in.
What are the criteria for you to pick up new shoes?
I am buying for durability.
Also, I don’t make spontaneous purchases. I think about it again and again. It may be on my wish list for six months.
Did you learn this skill of waiting?
I’ve always been a thrifter, I rarely bought anything new -shoes included!- in my childhood. We were a very frugal family. Furniture was thrifted, everything was thrifted.
Now as an adult, I am a little more lenient on myself, and I will sometimes buy new things. But, because of my frugality and also maybe extremism in not wanting to consume things, I've just learnt to mull things over.
If I am buying something new, it’s usually a high price point. I am not rolling in cash with my small business, so I am very intentional with how I am spending my money. If I bring a new item to my closet: am I going to wear it? in what context? what pieces do I have in my closet that I can wear with it? how walkable are these shoes? is this jacket going to fit a hole in my wardrobe in the San Francisco weather because it's not too cold and it's not too hot?
So I think lifestyle, finances and also upbringing have helped me become a very discerning and thoughtful consumer.
All these years mending: what have you learned?
I really take pride in this work, I'm very proud of what I've created. It's really easy -as a business owner- to kind of focus on the negatives. But I need to take a moment to celebrate myself [laughs]!
I think because I take pride in my work, I'm really thoughtful with my repairs. I don't just fix it as a bandaid fix, I future proof it. So I'm not just repairing the hole, I'm thinking about “OK, there is a hole here, but I noticed the weak fabric around it. I'm gonna fix and reinforce the entire area” because - and maybe this is a bad business plan [laughs] - I don't want them to come back to me for this same thing! I want people to feel good about it, I want it to last them two, three years. The jean may fail some other place and they'll bring it back to me because they know I'm gonna future proof their piece for them.
So I really take pride in caring for the garment into the future rather than just fixing the problem that's presenting at the moment.
Do you think the market is ready for mending?
I think it’s coming back. It definitely was a practice that was a no brainer many years ago. And I think a lot of people just forgot, or society forgot, that it was even an option.
The baseline now is “repairs from a dry cleaner”, and I'm always one to say that if it's repaired it doesn't matter how it's repaired. It's fixed and it's great and you can wear it again.
But there are better repairs than others, and a dry cleaner might do that bandaid fix but there's an army of us menders, who are slowly coming out of the woodwork, who are true experts in what we do. And we're going to be the ones to collaborate with you if you want a specific visible design or to think about the future proofing of your garment rather than just that bandaid fix.
So, if you want to think about the longevity or do something creative with your piece, definitely seek out a mender and support their small business!
What could be done at a local or even national level to raise awareness around mending?
Menders set up their sewing machines, people come in, and we just fix whatever they bring us. It's free to the public. So people who can't afford to get things fixed can get them fixed. I've been heavily involved in that. I think those programs are great to raise awareness. Also, we -the menders- are getting paid through that grant.
On the flip side, I think a lot of people don't value the time and energy that goes into mending. And I think it's just a misunderstanding. Clothes are so cheap these days to buy new, that some people are like “oh, but I bought this for $20. Why, why would I repair it if the repair is $45?” Like, the math doesn't math. So there's a lot of disconnect between the current cost of clothing and what menders should be getting paid.
What could be done to encourage people to love their garments longer?
I think the idea of people having a favorite piece has kind of gone away because you can just buy new things and there's that dopamine hit and all. Maybe bringing back the concept of loving the clothes you have and you have pride in it. You get disappointed if it rips and you're like “oh, I hate that it's broken”.
And because it's your favorite piece or you've had so many stories and you've worn it in so many different places, you have those memories that you have that pride in the piece and you want to fix it. I think it's going to be a mindset change and also raising awareness about mending. People just don't know it's an option and throw away pieces when just a button popped up!
Any tips for someone who would love to do more thrifting but finds it overwhelming?
Definitely go in with a list - and it can be a loose list - of things. I just keep notes in my phone whenever I think I want that or I need this. I create a running list, and when I find something, I cross it off.
So I can go into a thrift store and be like “oh yeah I wanted a black belt with gold hardware”, so I’ll start in the belt section. It doesn’t mean I can only look for that thing. “Ouh, hats are next to belts. I'm just going to browse this.”
It just helps you have a more focused map.
Are you picky about the story of a piece or about specific labels?
I’ve been thrifting my entire life. I know vintage* fits my body type better so I am generally not buying modern pieces.
*Can you define vintage?
I think technically vintage is “older than 20 years”.
The vintage that i'm looking for is like 80s and earlier. I think my shirt's from the 80s. Vintage comes with certain quality fabrics. So I've learnt what it looks like ; when I'm scanning the rack i'm like “OK, that's a silk thing”. It's really been 30 years of learning these things, what the fabrics feel like.
Also the tag on the clothing is really helpful. It tells you the content materials. In the last five years, I have really only bought - other than active wear- natural fibres, because they are breathable. So I don't have to wash my clothing as much, and that increases the longevity of the piece too because it's not going through the washer and dryer that much. I generally don't dry things, I put it on clothesline, this too increases longevity.
It's been an evolving process and, it's just gonna take patience and practice to find those gems. Also be open to different brands. I think if I’d found something that was a modern brand and assessed that the quality was really good, and it was a natural fibre, I would buy it. I wouldn't discard it because it was a modern brand or a “fast fashion” brand.
How big is your closet? How many pairs of jeans?
I have seven pairs of jeans. Maybe that’s a lot! [laughs] Not counting socks and underwear, my whole wardrobe - jewelry included - is probably 200 items.
What are your inspirations?
Honestly, I find a lot of inspiration in my closet. [laughs] I have spent many years curating the perfect wardrobe for me, and sure, it changes a little bit, but I feel like in the last three years, I've really been more intentional with what I bring in, what I release back into the world. So it's at this perfect equilibrium, it has all these beautiful textures and colors. It just feels so… me!
And when I get dressed and feel that creative process, my day and my energy is really vibing. That leads into just having a great day of inspiration and being in a better mood.
Is there anything else that we haven’t talked about and you’d like to share?
I want to say to other small business owners that if you crave and desire to find a traditional job again, that's not a failure.
In the last couple years of my business, I've always had contract work and freelance stuff to help subsidise because I don't think I ever jumped fully into my business nor did I ever want to be a small business owner full time.
Anyway my point is you can continue doing your business in any capacity you want. You don't even have to do your business anymore. You’re not a failure. I don't feel like a failure. I think I've accomplished so much, and I'm choosing to continue my business in the future, in a capacity that feels right for me in this moment. You can always scale up or scale down whenever you desire, whenever creativity sparks.
Having your business is scary. There are so many unknown. And you gotta live your life. You need money. You need stability. Taxes or even registering your business are so confusing. All those things can really grind on you. Some people have that motivation and gusto to power through it. I just feel like at this moment in my life, I don't have the stamina to continue.
Is there a strong network of makers / menders in SF?
I think that not seeking out community was one of my failures. And I am learning to find that network. It's not apparent, it's not huge here in San Francisco. But you can find your own community. They may not be doing the exact same thing as you, but there are people who can relate to you and who can support you.
I think collaboration is really important for small business owners to be able to mutually help each other!
Voilà. This, was Audrey. Thank you for sharing your story, for showing up so friendly, determined and vulnerable, it means a lot.
If you’re new here, welcome 👋 We are Max, Kev and Mat. Our mission is to help humans re-enchant their objects.
Objet is the french word for 'object' and should be pronounced 'ob-jeh‘. In this journal, we explore the intersection of desire, taste, joy, meaning and culture. If you’d like to embark on a journey with us, sign the manifesto 🚀
