Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Cerri

Hi Laura, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I’m an independent, sustainable designer and founder/sole employee of my micro small business, Shop Journal. I grew up in a creative, hippy household with 4 sisters and my single mom. We always thrifted growing up and learned to make the most with what we had- lots of hand me downs! Most of my closet has always been thrifted. I loved fashion and style at an early age and would sketch full looks as a kid. As an adult, I worked for a well-known fast fashion retailer for nearly 15 years in merchandising and trend. When they restructured, starting an online vintage shop seemed like the only thing I wanted to do. It was also during that time, in 2017, where simply doing it all on Instagram kind of worked as a small business model. I sold vintage online with my best friend back in 2010 in San Francisco and had wanted to get into it again for a while. My heart has always been in vintage and thrifting, and I felt a little disillusioned working with fast fashion, although the brand isn’t fully recognized as fast fashion because of the price points and cool factor. I also didn’t want to work for someone else again. So it just seemed like the right thing to do, even though it was scary and risky.

It’s been 7 years now, and it’s been worth it. I’ve transitioned a lot since I started with only vintage and some hand-crafted jewelry, to now mostly upcycled/handmade clothing and jewelry. I went from selling on every available platform to find what works, to just focusing on my website and, most recently, on wholesale. I love building relationships with other small businesses and have a few regular stockists that I’m grateful for. It’s funny that wholesale was something I never really thought would be worth it, but it’s proven to be a key aspect for our sustainability and growth.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

It’s always been a bit of a roller coaster. One week you’re on fire and the next it’s crickets, but that’s something I’ve learned to accept and not stress over – it usually all evens out. Having a small community in your field is so helpful to assess things. Some are within your control, and some aren’t, but I’m trying to be open to pivoting when necessary.

Planning has also been a challenge – I wear every hat, and it’s a juggling act. Sometimes things slip because I can’t do everything but I’m not ready to expand. Scheduling where to focus daily, weekly, monthly has been crucial. It isn’t the fun part, but it’s necessary. As a creative person, I’ve gotten better at this. Even though I just want to make fun things all day.

As a recovering people pleaser and neurodivergent, I’ve learned some lessons working with others. I haven’t always laid boundaries in the beginning. It’s important to build those guidelines together no matter who you work with big or small, to avoid any confusion later. I’ve learned I have to communicate honestly and clearly beforehand and throughout- seems obvious, but it’s easy to get carried away and forget to talk things out. I think most creatives have gone through this at one point or another, at lest the ones in my circle. All that said, working with others and collaborating can be really inspiring! Especially those you have mutual respect for and can talk openly with. Luckily, I’ve had the honor of working with multiple amazing people like this, and hopefully will continue to.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Shop Journal Vintage?

Shop Journal is a micro small business, founded and solely run by me. I design and make everything in my home studio, specializing in upcycled and handmade clothing, jewelry and tights, all made to order. The vibe is masculine meets feminine, with hardware and softer elements embellishing the pieces. Lots of menswear, lace and tough jewelry. Size inclusivity and sustainability are very important to me. We primarily use secondhand materials, upcycling full pieces into new ones or creating handmade pieces primarily from scrap or dead-stock materials. Our tights are available in sizes XXS-8X, and our clothing goes up to 6X. Additionally, we offer recycled tights in a smaller size range. Generally pieces take 2-14 days to produce, depending on whether it’s clothing and needs to be sourced.

I think we’re best known for our jewelry, tights and upcycled tees. Tees are a large part of what I make because of the over-abundance of them in thrift stores. Our most popular ones are the lace hem negligee and garter tee. Emma Zack of Berriez in NY, our friend and best stockist, has really helped with the visibility of these items. We’ve done exclusives and collaborated on a few styles. She’s been a true inspiration and support to us and so many other small designers.

One thing I’m excited about is our new option where customers can send items from their closet to be upcycled. I mentioned this plan the last time we talked maybe 6 months ago, so this second interview motivated me to figure it out! We just added this option to our made-to-order pieces that are upcycled, offering discounts ranging from 15%-40% off and customers will receive a printable label via email. Most items are discounted at 30%, with a few more challenging pieces at 15% off and easier-to-make items at 40% off. This initiative aims to breathe new life into items sitting in your closet, promoting the idea that we don’t always need new things; recreating what we already own is something I am passionate about. I frequently upcycle my own closet items, cutting up tees or adding grommets to give them a fresh look. I hope people appreciate this new option, and I’m eager to launch it and receive feedback.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?

I work in silo mostly, so having a good community of support in your general industry is so helpful. I’ve never had a mentor and might not be the best at networking, unless it happens organically. I’ll reach out and introduce myself when I like what someone is doing, or when they get noticed for their work- as a congratulatory thing. We’re all working so hard so it’s cool to see someone get their flowers! I’ve made a few long-standing business friends through messaging on Instagram. I haven’t used my LinkedIn in about 6 years, yikes! I probably should update it- that’ll go on my to-do list.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shopjournalvintage.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shop_journal/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopjournal/
• Twitter: https://x.com/shop_journal/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqx3fd2tG4pjyLnsUOCl5Aw
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@shop_journal/

Image Credits

All photos were taken by me.