A Taste of Mint: Southern Dropout’s Trunk Show at Mint Gallery
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
By Summer Stanley.
Think Sex and the City. Think vintage classic style with a young, edgy twist. Southern Dropout’s monthly trunk show at Mint Gallery delivers Carrie Bradshaw’s ideal shoes and more minus the Manolo Blahnik price tag.
Tucked away nearby the Sampson Street lofts, Mint Gallery is nestled in a mostly residential area along John Wesley Dobbs Avenue. A non-profit gallery, Mint is renowned for promoting local artists, those fresh as well as seasoned. The cheap drinks and good music at the parties they host doesn’t hurt either.
Southern Dropout’s trunk show, hosted by Loren Lankford, Entertainment Weekly journalist by pay, fashionista by birth, boasts a refined, trendy collection including heels, nightgowns, eveningwear, and partywear that has been accumulating since she was twelve.
Growing up with little money to spare, Loren was savvy, and she soon found those same Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirts, for which the other kids were paying exorbitantly, at the thrift stores for significantly less.
Yet her style was always more sophisticated than the fads. But the concept of obtaining popular items for a cheap price planted a seed.
Far before vintage chic was all the rage, Loren had a taste for the style and began acquiring a wardrobe as a pre-teen that has now burgeoned into a sought-after exhibition. When it was cool to sport Tommy Hilfiger, Aeropostale, and the Limited Too as largely and abundantly as physically possible, Loren was inclined toward a more elegant taste.
Into adulthood Loren continued to nourish her artistic flair, and she now designs and creates certain accessories in her show. Most notable is her jewelry that displays a keenness for asymmetry, color, and texture.
When Loren witnessed her first trunk show after befriending Mint’s director, she realized her matured collection had found its platform.
Mint recognizes the financial struggle that often goes along with commitment to the arts, and only keeps a meager percentage of the profits for the gallery itself. The obvious benefit is that the artists themselves get to buy groceries, but what Lankford appreciates most is that it allows her to maintain a relatively low markup.
Though Lankford could easily quadruple the prices of her wares, she isn’t interested in the exorbitance epidemic that has infected much of the boutique world. Lankford champions affordability, most likely the reason that she still was able to clear a respectable return in the midst of an ice storm. People still show up for a good deal.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for next month’s show, February 6th and 7th, for unique finds at basement floor prices. From $10 boots to $5 jackets, and everything in great condition, you won’t even have to worry that Mint doesn’t take plastic. Just crack open your piggy bank in a few weeks for your next foxy frock and continue to enjoy 2010 in style.
Tags: Atlanta, clothing, Fashion, fashion show, gallery, retial, shopping, style, Summer Stanley
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