Back to the present

Photo provided to Shanghai Star

Most of Niu's wool coats were bought at various second-hand markets or vintage shops and are tailored pieces that have been looked after carefully by their former owners.

"I am collecting vintage items to make use of them in my own way. I ride the bicycles from time to time, wear the coats regularly, and most of my collection can be used in real life," Niu says.

Every year, a vintage bike event is organized in the city where collectors wear their vintage outfits and share the stories behind their two-wheelers. It was on one of these occasions that Niu met one of his best friends, King Jin.

They share similar tastes and views as Jin also prefers to collect quality items that are well designed for his own use.

Jin recognizes that his vintage collection is a fashion style which matches his outfits and home decor. In their spare time, Niu and Jin organize retro gatherings, go to vintage fairs and exchange items with other collectors.

"We're more like a vintage-themed family," Jin says.

Unlike Niu and Jin, 26-year-old art editor Grace Gao is an impulsive shopaholic who buys vintage items without thinking how she will use them.

Gao says her two-bedroomed apartment is filled with items she has bought from all over the world, so much so that she has only a narrow passageway to walk through now.

Her collections include books, hand-tooled accessories, albums of paintings, clothes, shoes, bags and all kinds of other items with vintage elements.

Every year, she flies to the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Japan to add to her collection.

"I am attracted by the old designs, and they fill me with inspiration to create handmade accessories myself," Gao says.