Eni Subair met the duo behind the Dr. Martens Aurix styling shoot to chat origins, sustainable fashion and how to find your own way of dressing.
For the past five years Isabella Vrana, co-founder of 128 London, has had a reliable litmus test when scoping out vintage and independent sellers: "If I'd buy it, I'll stock it."
Since opening its doors on Hackney Road in December 2024, 128 London – founded by Isabella and her business partner and founder of Vival Studios, Crystal Trevennen - has evolved into more than a shop. Equal parts retail space and a community hub for East Londoners and beyond, on any given day, you can partake in a Pilates class or find a rare ’00s Prada bag with a pair of Vibrams to match. 128 London’s Instagram is a running homage to its designer-savvy customers, while the co-founders describe the space as “a hotspot for curated womenswear”. No arguments there.
As is often the case in fashion, it was a mutual appreciation of vintage that first brought Crystal and Isabella together. “I met Crystal via Depop,” Isabella says. “I spent £1,000 on her stuff before her pop-up had even officially opened!” Long before they met online, Cornwall-raised Crystal was already a vintage maven, selling second-hand pieces on Depop as a side hustle while studying in Bristol. Her distinctive style – a blend of Bristolian cool, “Playboy puffers and Nike Shox” – ensured that students and tastemakers alike flocked to her growing business. “By the time I'd finished uni, I was earning enough to sell vintage full-time,” Crystal says. “Once I moved to London, the business got bigger and bigger.”
Before relocating to London a decade ago, Isabella, who was raised in Cheltenham, developed a penchant for vintage, shopping in “Rokit-like stores” and wearing Levi's cut-offs. Elsewhere, Friends’ Rachel Green and the Spice Girls served as her blueprint, and she was “obsessed with everything from the ’90s”. Like Crystal, it was during her early years in London that she began experimenting with clothes and selling second-hand one-offs. “I began wearing and selling more European designers,” she says. In 2024 the pair officially partnered to open 128 London, a venture that had been bubbling beneath the surface for some time. Their bond has only strengthened since. And they know boast a ten-strong staff
But back, as always, to the clothes. What was their first memorable purchase? “A ’90s Prada bag,” Isabella shoots, as enthused as the day she bought it. “I wore it to death when I first got it, and I still have it now because it’s so timeless. It also feels like a relic because it marks the moment I fell in love with vintage.” Crystal answers without hesitation. “It was a Kenzo dress I bought from a charity shop in Notting Hill seven years ago – I still wear it all the time!”.
Sustainability has become a vital conversation in fashion, prompting those within the industry to reconsider their impact and figure out conscious ways of working. For Crystal and Isabella, the vintage market is a way to channel individuality while thinking of the planet. “It feels like you can't negatively impact the world too much because you're reselling something that already exists,” Crystal says. Isabella's approach to her own self-titled line – home to far more than just those Insta-famous hook tops - is just as considered: “I make all my designs in London, and I manufacture ethically,” she explains
While they've come a long way in refining their taste, they're loyalists when it comes to wardrobe cornerstones. Punkish New Rock platforms were Isabella’s go-to when 128 London first opened its doors, while Crystal’s Prada slip-ons – another vintage gem – still garner interest in-store. Post-shoot, both are waxing lyrical about the leather Aurix shoes. After all, there's always room for another pair of Docs on the roster. “I wore mine with no socks, which is pretty brave – and no blisters!” says Isabella. Crystal adds that the leather shoes, “which have a vintage vibe”, will be her go-to festival pair this summer.
With 128 London's second anniversary approaching at the end of the year, the pair reflect on how their distinctive styles have evolved since they first met. Isabella now describes her ensembles as "minimal and laid-back", which she leans into on the shoot, styling Geel Elliot trousers with a Marc Jacobs tee and Aurix shoes. Crystal also skews more understated, pairing a sheer Paloma Wool skirt over a Gina Corrieri skirt with a baby tee. But before heading back to the store, they share a few pearls of wisdom on shaping personal style. "Get inspiration from your surroundings and people around you," Crystal says, while Isabella adds: "Take a mental snapshot and make your own version of an outfit. And get off social media!"
What makes your sole bounce?
Isabella:
“I stopped drinking a few years ago, and it's changed how I go out. I went to The Cause [in East London] on Saturday and had the best time ever. I discovered DJs I'd never heard of before – I'm kind of obsessed with it now!”
Crystal:
“A body of water is my favourite thing ever.”
