admin Welcome to Seller’s Remorse, a recurring series where Intramural founder Bijan Shahvali calls up the most stylish people in his rolodex and asks them to wax eloquent (and sometimes, tearily) on the personal grails they regret letting slip through their fingers. Next up: Gauthier Borsarello, a globe-trotting editor, collector, and creative director with a penchant for classic French workwear and all-American military surplus.
Gauthier is something of a renaissance man in the menswear world—creative director of Fursac, co-founder of L’Étiquette magazine, vintage-sourcer at Le Vif Boutique and his own archive, along with a bevy of other responsibilities. Like many collectors, he has a deep appreciation for garments that get better with age, but what separates him is his razor-sharp understanding of designs that look and feel timeless. In his capacity as a stylist, he often mixes vintage pieces with their modern counterparts; his ability to make them sing in harmony is a testament to his reputation as a curator par excellence.
Bijan Shahvali: How did you first become interested in vintage?
Gauthier Borsarello: I was 5 in a family of 6, so I didn’t have much choice. I have three big sisters and my big brother is 9 years older than me, so when I got his hand-me-downs they were halfway vintage already! I started buying vintage when I was around 13. I would find old pieces from brands that were cool at the time, and tweak them to look current. I had a pair of ‘90s-era high-waisted jeans from Diesel, and I customized them with my mother to lower the waist and taper the leg to make them look slimmer.
When it comes to sourcing, what do you look for?
I’m always looking for things I’ve never seen before or for things that are particularly well-made. I try to avoid pieces that feel so marked by an era that they couldn’t be worn today; I am looking for pieces with a more timeless bent. I avoid wool as much as I can, for moth-obvious reasons! I also avoid designer pieces and tend to focus on military, workwear, and clothes that hold significance to specific subcultures.
Are you on the hunt for anything in particular at the moment?
French workwear and old indigo, generally.
What makes something a personal grail for you?
It’s hard to say, but I do find myself holding on to pieces that have a more timeless feel.
How do you know when it’s time to let something go?
Easy—when the offer makes me forget my feelings.
M65 Mitchell camouflage field jacket
I bought this jacket from a friend and eventually sold it to a major luxury brand for a crazy price. The kind of price you ask for when you don’t want to sell—but they still took it.
Levi’s 501 single-stitch jeans (‘70s)
I sold these to a design team at a big American brand who ended up using these as a reference piece and did a really great job at recreating them with all the repairs and different colors. I would love to have the opportunity to buy them back.
US Navy 4-pocket peacoat (~WWI)
This one is very dear to me. I had a friend who was harassing me to get it, and when he found a cool British piece to trade I was weak and caved to his whims. The peacoat is extremely rare, especially in this condition, so I think about it a lot. At least I know where it is now!
Bootleg Nirvana long-sleeve T-shirt (‘90s)
I gave this to a friend and regretted it some years later. When it comes to band tees, Nirvana is really the band I collect the most, and I haven’t been able to find it again.
“Olymp’hic” drinking shirt (‘60s)
I sold this to Emily Bode; I think she has the best taste on earth. This shirt felt so perfect for her aesthetic and brand. She actually reproduced it for her line and it was so perfect that it was barely possible to see the difference with the old one. She gave this piece new life in a way that I can appreciate, but I still miss it!
French hunting jacket (‘30s)
I traded this to a friend and I think he sold it to a collector in Japan. I am a bit sad it left the country, to be honest, so I hope to find another to bring home to France!
