Started in 2010, The Vintage Guide to London is now an undeniable authority on London living for vintage enthusiasts. Set up by Lena Weber, she has managed not only to grow a huge following but to set up a blogging empire- she now also works on three other blogs. We caught up with her to see how she got there, and what she see’s got planned for the future.
So, how long have you been running the vintage guide to London?
The Vintage Guide was launched in June 2010, so it’s been going for three years.
And when did your passion for vintage first start?
I remember being fascinated by past styles – like my grandparents’ 50s styled flat – when I was a child. When I was 13, I accidentally watched A Hard Day’s Night and became a massive Beatles fan, which fueled my love for all things Sixties.
When was it you decided to create your Vintage Guide to London, and what we’re your aims for the blog when you started out?
I was working on my other blog Queens of Vintage, and would often receive listings for events that didn’t really fit in editorially. My friends and I would also constantly moan about forgetting events or not knowing what was going on cause there was no central site specially for vintage events and businesses. The Vintage Guide sets out to be that one-stop-site for events listings, showcasing the best of vintage London has to offer.
You now have an extensive following, and have ultimately have become the ‘go-to’ online vintage guide for the capital. How have you managed to get to this point?
Lots of hard work to be honest! Regular, quality content is absolute key and I update the site nearly daily. My professional background is in social strategy so setting up successful social media profiles was crucial too.
What has been the highlight of your blogging career to date?
I’ve been able to collaborate with some amazing events such as giving bespoke vintage advice at London Fashion Weekend, running a vintage bike ride as part of the cultural Olympiad or organising a flash mop of people dressed in vintage Chanel! It was also really amazing to be website of the week on Lauren Laverne’s Radio 6 show – she’s fab!
What is the best piece of advice you think new bloggers should take on board?
Be realistic, I know very few people who can live just off their blogs (I can’t!), so chances are you will have to put in a lot of work before it’ll pay off.
And finally…Where do you see your blog two years from now?
As a next step I am planning on adding more editorial features and updating the site more frequently. I’ve also just launched a sister site, The Vintage Guide To Berlin – exciting times!
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