Growing up, City College student Kane Haskins had a knack for noticing things most kids overlooked. 

When playing video games and watching cartoons, the thing that caught his attention were the designs, logos and colors, the same thing he now looks for in clothing. 

“Some things never go out of style,” said Haskins, whose weekly pop-up shop The Eclectic Vintage have injected the campus with a taste of vintage flavor this semester.

Hankins, with the help of fellow student and thrift shop hunter Estevan Lucas, has been setting up shop every Wednesday on the West Campus lawn, offering a curated selection of rare and classic clothing to students for affordable prices.

“They love the $5 table,” Haskins said. “I know students don’t always have a lot of extra money.”

Though the bargain buys are a hit among students, looking to infuse some retro style in their wardrobe on a budget, Haskins and Lucas have noticed a growing number of students coming for the rare finds that they pride themselves on.

“It’s rewarding to see the kids who want to come here and see the higher end stuff… The ones who are curious and ask questions,” Haskins said.

The Eclectic Vintage pop-ups grew from Haskins’ personal Instagram account, where he began to resell clothes he would buy at thrift stores and flea markets. He was heavily influenced by the vintage store Round Two, which has locations in Richmond, Virginia and Los Angeles, California. 

For six years, he kept the shop primarily online until he met Lucas, the two began setting up on campus every Wednesday.

Lucas, a sociology major, shared the same love of searching for rare and hard-to-find pieces, something he says he will continue to do for the rest of his life. 

“I’m in this for the hunt,” he said. “It’s like looking for treasure.”

For Haskins, it’s not only the thrill of searching for unique clothing that keeps him going.

Majoring in graphic design, he finds inspiration in the iconic designs that have endured for decades.

“Things like old tour t-shirts, or classic Tommy Hilfiger and Polo. The logos and symbols are just really strong,” Haskins said. “If you compare things from 20 years ago, the U.S. made-clothes have really stood the test of time.”

Aside from their love for styles form the past, Haskins and Lucas are largely dedicated to the ethical and ecological benefits of recycled shopping.

Studies show that producing and transporting a cotton t-shirt can use a large amount of water and energy, and outsourcing the manufacturing of most of the clothing overseas has eroded the focus on quality in favor of quantity and cost.

“Buying a recycled shirt, you’re choosing against all that,” Lucas said. “It’s better for the world.”

Haskins added that the impact of making clothes is often overlooked and though some companies are starting the shift to eco-friendly methods, shopping in thrift stores and vintage shops “are great ways to diminish” our footprint on the planet.

The Eclectic Vintage shop will continue to set up from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. every Wednesday in front of Luria Library for the rest of the school year.