Help Save Les Femmes Vintage – A Brooklyn-Born Business at Risk

Hi, my name is Monika and I’ve run Les Femmes Vintage—my independent vintage shop and archive—since 2012. What started as a passion project rooted in storytelling, history, and style evolved into a deeply personal, community-grounded business. For over a decade, I curated one-of-a-kind pieces that reflected culture, identity, and care. I built this collection while also working full-time as a union costume supervisor in film and television—an industry that helped sustain my business and allowed me to serve stylists, costume designers, and artists across New York City.

But today, I’m reaching out because everything I’ve built is at risk of being lost.

Due to the dual Hollywood strikes, which halted production for months, my income was wiped out. I haven’t been able to recover. The industry is still operating at a fraction of what it was pre-strike, and costume jobs are few and far between. Without that income, I struggle to maintain expenses to run my business—and now, the entire inventory I’ve spent 13 years curating is at risk of being lost.

That inventory represents more than $80,000 worth of investment and years of labor, research, and love. It’s my livelihood, my cultural contribution, and my legacy. To lose it—not because I failed, but because the industry collapsed under my feet—is heartbreaking.

If you’ve ever:

Rented or worn something from my collection, supported independent, women–owned businesses, or simply believe in the value of preserving fashion history with intention—I’m asking for your help.

Every donation, no matter the amount, brings me closer to reclaiming what I built with my own two hands.

If you can't donate, a share goes a long way. Thank you for seeing me, hearing me, and standing with me in this moment.

With gratitude,

Monika