Eclectic, fun, sustainable, unique—TEXTILE is a destination for women who want to have fun with fashion, embrace the eclectic, and share the joy of wearing something beautiful and one-of-a kind.
The Cannery Row shop, with its industrial, simple, and modern vibe, is the perfect natural-light-filled canvas for owner Victoria Inverso’s gorgeously curated collections of vintage and contemporary pieces. The minimal space with an abundance of natural light, she says, lets the clothes shine.
About half of the collection is vintage, displayed side-by-side with pieces from small-scale female designers Victoria loves and wants to support. “It’s easy to shop because every rack has a mixture of both,” she says. Victoria herself also makes shopping at TEXTILE a welcoming experience. The comfortably luxurious dressing rooms are an open invitation to just enjoy trying things on—including, perhaps, clothes you might never in a million years have seen yourself wearing.
Victoria has a Masters in fashion design and a natural, intuitive sense of what will look great on all ages and shapes. “I’ve been a stylist in fashion since I was very young,” she says. She also has an instinct for suggesting the pieces that will give someone a sense of joyful freedom, edging them out of the box to embrace a fresh sense of style. Whether it’s hand-beaded silk dresses from the fifties, a one-of-a-kind quilted coat, a delicate slip, a hand-knit sweater, a customized hat, or sequined tops to wear with ripped denim, Victoria loves showing customers how and where to wear fun pieces. “Mixing vintage jeans with a vintage beaded jacket, a designer t-shirt, and cool shoes is a great look,” she says.
Everything at TEXTILE is handmade, local, or vintage. Victoria carries lines from Canada, the UK, and California, in addition to local lines and designer shoes made by women in a small village in Colombia. The combination of new and vintage collections in the shop reflects Victoria’s own eclectic style, though she works hard to keep a balance. “It’s important to me to have things for every style, size, and body type,” she says. While she adores wearing vintage pieces and has an extensive collection of her mother’s and grandmother’s things, some people don’t quite “get” vintage, she says.
Bringing something different to Kennett
When she began looking for a space in 2018, the Exton native immediately thought of Kennett Square. “I’ve always loved Kennett Square. I thought it was super cute and needed something eclectic and unique and different.” It took her some time to find the perfect spot, but when she looked at the Cannery Row space she knew she’d found it. “I love that it’s easy to get to and has convenient free parking, as well as the fact that’s it’s a destination spot. It’s just enough off the beaten path that people want to come here for something I’m offering.”
Victoria’s entrepreneurial spirit comes naturally. She loved growing up in a family with five kids around her father’s restaurant, the well-loved Ron’s in Exton. “He uses all organic produce, and he’s passionate about using quality ingredients and knowing where they come from.”
Although her palette is fashion, Victoria has a similar passion for sourcing beautiful pieces—whether they’re treasures from the past or pieces created by talented contemporary designers who share her devotion to sustainable style.
TEXTILE’s line of accessories and jewelry include everything from classic 14-carat gold hoops to candles and beautiful stationery.
Something old, something new—always something fresh and different
TEXTILE customers know to pop in frequently, Victoria says, because there’s always something new—and rare and one-of-a-kind. Because she orders only one in each size of pieces she loves, customers know they won’t be wearing the same piece as anyone else. A notable exception is “the perfect t-shirt” from Le Bon Shoppe, which Victoria keeps in stock year-round. “They’re a super-small line from California. They’re all cotton, wash and wear, and the fabric and fit are amazing.”
One customer describes the almost magical experience of searching for a unique dress to wear to her daughter’s wedding. “Victoria immediately knew exactly what I wanted, before I even quite knew myself,” she says. “She brought a stunning vintage dress from India, simple but elegant, shimmering with hand-sewn sequins, from her store of treasures. When I tried it on, it felt like a small miracle that the perfect dress had made its way across the world and through the decades to be part of the story of this very special occasion.” Connecting one-of-a-kind pieces with women who will tell the next chapter in their story is one of Victoria’s specialties, and it’s a story that’s told often by TEXTILE customers.
Victoria is a one-woman multi-tasking entrepreneur, connecting with designers and collectors, maintaining and curating social media channels and her website, and filling orders from places as diverse as Hawaii and Washington state. While TEXTILE’s website and Instagram showcase the shop and offer coveted first peeks at collections and individual pieces as well as announcements about special events, the in-store experience is essential for vintage pieces. This is in part because the sizing is so unique, Victoria says, but also because no photograph can capture the feel and texture of these pieces.
About half of TEXTILE’s collection is vintage, displayed side-by-side with pieces from small-scale female designers.
Post-pandemic fashion forecast is fun and freeing
While sourcing pieces has become more of a challenge due to the pandemic, Victoria knows what she loves and has built relationships over the years with a select group of suppliers. “People know I’ll love any different, weird thing,” she says, laughing.
As she reflects on fashion post-pandemic, Victoria says the mood and energy are shifting. “The style had definitely become more casual, but there’s an upswing happening now with people wanting new, different, and fun things. They want to feel good and get out of the rut of working from home in sweatpants.” Heading into fall, she’s looking forward to sharing vintage suedes, leathers, and furs.
TEXTILE also carries fun and different accessories and jewelry. Victoria’s favorite go-to earrings are classic 14-carat gold hoops, and her expanded line of gifts includes everything from beautiful candles in reusable ceramic containers from husband-and-wife team Raine and Humble to a popular gratitude journal, moon lists, and tarot cards.
With Best of Main Line and Best of Philadelphia awards and lots of press, TEXTILE has weathered the COVID-19 storm—but the shop is also helping people set a new course. While foot traffic and sales are up again and the past year has felt almost normal again, Victoria says, she sees a new intentionality in shoppers. “The pandemic caused everyone to slow down, recharge. People aren’t so materialistic.” With its unique combination of fun and sustainable fashion, a small business supporting other small businesses, TEXTILE is a destination every local should discover.
Find TEXTILE online and on Instagram and at 210 South Mill Road, Suite 103, Kennett Square
Photos by Dylan Francis
