BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A new vintage boutique in Bed-Stuy is using its name to pay homage to a cinema cult classic.
Harold and Maude Vintage, at 592 Lafayette Ave., is named after the 1971 Hal Ashby movie and offers up pre-1990s vintage clothing for affordable prices, co-owner Mami Nagase said.
Nagase and boyfriend, Ryoma Hashimoto, 35, chose the name because it was one of their favorite films, Nagase said.
"I love the story," said Nagase, 31. "It's an artistic movie. The color is beautiful, I love the characters."
But despite the namesake, you won't find much from the "Harold and Maude" era in the shop — the 1970s is the pair's least-favorite fashion decade, Nagase said.
Instead, they're focused on pieces from the 1950s, 1960s and 1980s, culled from nearby cities like Boston and Philadelphia, as well as Nagase's hometown of Osaka, Japan.
Nagase moved to New York from Osaka in 2003 to experience a diversity of cultures, she said. She met Hashimoto, a former fashion major, while working at Kodama Sushi in Times Square.
The two decided to open their own shop after a series of succesful pop-ups in Long Island City and the Lower East Side last year, Nagase said.
"I just wanted to start my own business," Nagase said. "I love old style."
The couple's mission is to make vintage shopping affordable, Nagase said. Almost everything in the shop costs less than $150, with shoes costing around $50, dresses starting at $35 and hats ranging from $45 to $65.
Nagase said she wanted to make sure Harold and Maude catered to people like her.
"Some vintage clothing stores are too expensive," she said. "I love fashion and like shopping, but I don't have so much money."
The store's most expensive item is a turn of the century military jacket, priced at $250.
It's the only item not priced to move, Nagase said.
"I just don't want to sell it," she said with a laugh.
