Like a Virgin Vintage
Interview with Marya, my favorite vintage dealer
I met Marya a few summers ago when I was in Tbilisi. I was browsing Instagram for vintage finds, searching things like 'Tbilisi vintage, vintage Tbilisi,' and stumbled upon her shop, Like a Virgin. I examined every post in there and fell in love with a vintage Sandro vest (at the very bottom of this post). I right away sent her a bunch of messages asking when and where I could get it. Because I generally have no patience!!! We met up late one evening at a cool wine spot in Tbilisi, where she was hanging out with friends. I picked up the vest, and we just clicked. We've stayed friends ever since, which I'm SO happy about.
Marya is beautiful, smart, and gracious. She's super knowledgeable about fashion history and costume, and she has a fantastic eye for style. I'm one of the lucky few who get to pick her brain about clothes. She splits her time between Georgia and Italy, running Like a Virgin with a lot of care and attention to detail. The selection is always amazing. But let's hear more about it from Marya herself!
Marya, darling! When did you first realize you were interested in clothes? When you were a tiny baby?
Well, first of all, my mom has always stood out with her very particular manner of dressing, and I could relate to that from a very young age. I remember first experiencing the hardships of being a woman at the age of three — patiently sleeping on papillotes to get curls the next day and wearing murderous but pretty shoes. Not much has changed! Though I try to minimize the suffering.
I’m so with you on the murderous but pretty shoes!! Right, so how was “Like a Virgin” born? And please explain the name! Are you obsessed with Madonna or what?
First, it’s a very optimistic song about love but also about getting second chances, which ties into the concept of the shop. Also, in the video, she’s in Venice — my favorite city in the world! Then, I first heard the song covered in Moulin Rouge! (Baz Luhrmann’s, of course), which I watched obsessively as a teenager. (God, I even fell in love with a guy named Christian — is that a coincidence? I don’t think so!) That movie shaped me in a way. And last but not least, whenever someone asks me about the name of the shop, I can just send them a scene from Reservoir Dogs.
Tell me how it’s going now. How do you work? Here’s how I imagine it: you’re based between Tbilisi and Italy. You source mostly in vintage shops in person — buy, clean, model, take pics, write historical background info, sell, pack, and ship. It’s an insane amount of work!
As you’ve probably guessed, I’m not great at maintaining a work-life balance, so I really do work a lot, haha! I try to make vintage shopping as easy as possible for my customers, delivering each piece completely ready to wear — dry-cleaned and restored. Not everyone has the time or skill to do the digging, you know? But that shouldn’t mean they’re doomed to wear mass-market plastic blazers, and that’s where I come in.
To be honest, I want to work even more because I’d love to create an online course and write a book one day. But I do have two assistants now — one in Moscow and one in Tbilisi. Many of my clients live in Russia, so I need help navigating the flow of packages there. The assistant in Tbilisi runs errands like the post office and dry cleaners.
What’s the criteria? How do you choose what to buy?
I’m a total textile freak, so first, it has to be great fabric. Probably only 1% of my whole stock is synthetic, and there’s always a good reason behind it—mostly works of designers like Thierry Mugler or Issey Miyake. The rest is silk, wool, cashmere, angora, viscose*, cotton, and linen. The big name isn’t necessary — some of my most beloved pieces are antique no-names.
I take things like silk velvet almost without looking because you just don’t see these fabrics in stores anymore. God, all you see is fucking polyester! I can’t stand it.
After checking the fabric, I go by the overall feel — if I can present/style it attractively and if it has a contemporary vibe. Because I sell clothes to be worn. It’s surprising how many antiques have a contemporary feel!
(*I’m aware viscose is semi-synthetic, but it’s made of wood and, you know, it’s breathable.)
Could you share funny customer interactions or buying/selling experiences?
I’ve made it a point to reclaim all possible superstitions about vintage clothes. So whenever someone asks, Do you think somebody may have died in this? I always say, Yes. For sure. Why would I even bother selling a dress if nobody was brutally murdered wearing it? After that answer, people usually disappear from my DMs for good.
Another story is a bit sad. In the early days of the shop, I came across a cashmere sweater from Maison Martin Margiela’s SS 2000 mega-oversized collection. I knew Margiela, of course, but I wasn’t as into designer fashion back then (I was studying historical fashion online at a Scottish university at the time), so I didn’t research it properly — and sold it for next to nothing. Still have dreams about it sometimes.
My best buying/selling experience, however, brought me a good friend — and that was you! Texting me in the middle of the night to urgently buy a vest. It’s been ages!
Aww!! And we shall find that Margiela sweater!! BUT HOW DO YOU NOT WANT TO KEEP AT LEAST HALF OF WHAT YOU BUY???
That’s actually how I started LAVV. At some point, I realized I was finding far more vintage beauties than I could ever possibly wear myself. I started taking them home, almost like people who rescue animals. I just couldn’t leave them behind! (I know that sounds weird to normal people. I do know the difference between a living thing and a piece of clothing, I swear.)
But yeah, sometimes I get greedy over a piece or two. I’m human. If I can’t resist, I try to find something in my wardrobe I don’t wear and sell it — that’s how I stop my collection from growing to the size and budget of a small country.
What’s the hardest part of running the shop?
I’m mad that not everyone is wearing vintage! Seriously, I don’t understand how people can shop at H&M, Zara, or Temu. Or how stylists can make shopping lists with those plastic clothes and promote them. Like… have you touched this stuff, guys? What the hell is it?
I’m not saying this in a classist way — I’m well aware most people can’t afford designer clothes — but I make a point of offering at least a partial alternative.
Show us your current favorites! Or your top three all-time favorite finds?
This is my absolute favorite coat of all time — vintage Thierry Mugler, floor-length, dramatic cut, pure vampire vibes. Not the most travel-friendly, but it’s been on every winter trip with me. No regrets.
In the video, you can also see my vintage silver Maison Margiela boots — comfy for a non-sneaker and fabulous in a way sneakers never could be. I dread the day they fall apart beyond repair.
Another favorite: a vintage Yves Saint Laurent Homme trench coat in the most beautiful deep green. It shifts with the light — almost black on rainy days, turquoise/emerald in the sun. I love pairing it with other watery shades for a full mermaid moment:
And then there’s Elsa — my villainous black dress with a crazy story. Bought a bunch of 1930s silk jersey slips from a crazy lady online. Paid too much. They arrived ruined. I cried for two days, then took them to my dry cleaner and had them dyed black. My seamstress and I patched them together, Frankenstein-style, into this vampy black dress. People always ask who the designer is. I just quote Suspiria: I AM SHE.
OK WOW! I need to take a moment to admire!!
Right, phew! Now I wanna know: designers who inspire you these days?
Right now, I’m obsessed with the Brits — Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood. I’m so tired of minimalism. I want baroque, I want drama. I don’t care about the modern game of interchangeable creative directors, but I respect women like Louise Trotter and Chemena Kamali — at least they still keep real women in mind when designing.
And who do you Google for inspiration? Movie stars?
Mostly movies — costume design is everything. Books, too. I’m still haunted by Theo’s mother’s white trench coat in The Goldfinch. And art, of course — I love thinking about why an artist dressed their model a certain way.
Another thing I am always curious about and I feel like everyone’s talking about it but…what is personal style? Can you develop it, or do you just have it?
It exists at the intersection of aesthetics and comfort. There are things I love but can’t wear. They’re just not me. Finding that balance is about knowing yourself. But that applies to everything, not just clothes.
How would you describe your style?
Day-to-day? Kind of boring — Levi’s 501s, cashmere sweaters, men’s shirts. But when I go out for pleasure? 1930s femme fatale villain meets Morticia Addams meets a Renaissance painting.
Your biggest fashion hot take?
We like trendy things because we see them a lot. If we weren’t constantly bombarded, we wouldn’t even want them. That’s why low-rise jeans are coming back — and we’ll like them again soon.
One piece of style advice?
Dress every day like you’re going to Vivienne Westwood’s funeral.
On that gorgeous and dramatic note, let’s look at some more pictures from Like a Virgin:
What a treat for sore eyes!! Many thanks to Marya for the wit, the inspiration and the outfits!!
Follow for more on Like a Virgin
(+Telegram channel for Russian-speakers: @likeavirgin_vintage)
That’s all from us today!!
P.S. Here is a bit of the vest I purchased from her. The vest that started our friendship!!!
Oh, I want to visit this shop! Why is it on another continent?? I loved your interview, Anni, thank you so much for sharing your story of friendship through clothes! I admit, I had a good cackle over this, "Why would I even bother selling a dress if nobody was brutally murdered wearing it?" HA! I often joke about finding a "dead old lady bonanza" in thrift stores, but it's TRUE! If I were that old lady, I would LOVE that someone was gasping over my clothes!
A big thumbs' up for textiles first!! That's how I shop! Loved your article, thank you.
Loved this!! And can’t wait to see the best, looks beautiful 🤍