How glamorous is the life of a vintage band shirt collector? We sit down with Josh Lee to discover some tips and tricks.
My encounter with 30-year-old Josh Lee happened by chance when I popped by Woaw Gallery to check out an exhibition of rare band tees. In the back room of the gallery, I mingled with other band tee enthusiasts before popping the question, “Does anyone trade and sell tees full-time?” Everyone was quick to point me in the direction of Josh, who seemed shy about speaking with me (maybe I came off a little too excited). However, after getting a mic clipped on him, I watched as he opened up and eagerly shared his passion and work selling vintage t-shirt collections.
As part of our Beyond the 9 to 5 series, we explore unique jobs in Singapore. And when someone tells you they collect, trade, and sell vintage t-shirt collections for a living? You just have to find out more.
It all began with 90s beats
Growing up, Josh’s love for metal music led to his hunt for vintage band tees; his searches often took him to Carousell and local thrift shops. How he got into the business of selling tees though? It began when he paid a visit to local label Death Threads to check out its curation of products, followed by an inspiring trip to Sydney.
“I found a couple of pieces sold below market rate, and figured it’d be a good opportunity to bring some back to Singapore,” he tells me. Combine that with the thrill of hunting down original vintage tees, and you get Josh’s career. Joining forces with the Death Threads crew, he chatted up the owners and offered to bring in his vintage t-shirt collection to shake up the curation. That’s when he began carving a niche for himself, selling his band tees during pop-up events.
But rosy beginnings come with their own struggles.
“They didn’t really sell at first, which was fair,” Josh admits sheepishly. Death Threads was one of the pioneers of 90s memorabilia, filling a unique gap in retail. But the vintage scene in Singapore at the time was in its infancy, as fellow collectors were few and far between.
As 2018 rolled around, demand and interest in vintage clothes went up as it became an increasingly popular fashion trend. “There’s been a big resurgence in secondhand clothing. Not just shirts, but vintage handbags and sneakers too,” he explains. And with more avid collectors coming into the vintage band tee space, Josh had more opportunities to grow his little part of the business with the Death Threads crew.
The ins and outs of the collector life
As the scene changed and time went by, members of the original Death Threads crew pursued personal aspirations, moving on from the brand. This left Josh to manage Death Threads by himself, shifting to a fully online operation to cater to its international audience.
He now spends his days going through online listings, keeping an eye out for undervalued pieces. Other times, he’s the middleman between buyers, selling higher-value shirts on behalf of other collectors. Lately, his focus is moving towards more valuable and highly collectable t-shirts.
Besides being constantly on the lookout for the next hot thing to sell, Josh also helps the community authenticate their shirts. This means taking a closer look at aspects like stitching, tags, and print textures. But has a fake print ever been so good, it tricked even veterans like Josh? “I’m pretty sure it has happened before. I’ve definitely come across ones I’m not too sure about,” he admits.
“Authentication comes down to intuition, but you can also ask other collectors,” he says, which surprises me. When it comes to something so valuable, you’d think there’d be dedicated consultants specialising in shirt authentication. However, because there is no single authority to turn to, it’s common to crowd-source opinions.
But I’d trust Josh to authenticate my t-shirts any day. As we walk through the gallery, he explains every shirt’s origin story with ease, telling me about the intricate details and proving his expertise. He could even tell the band t-shirt our videographer had on was a reprint with a single glance! Colour me impressed.
A love for the tee, not the game
If you’re wondering how profitable t-shirt selling is, you’re not the only one. Josh is no stranger to the shocked exclamations of people asking, “Can make money meh?” You’d be surprised – Josh has sold a shirt for $1,000 before! “But that’s nothing compared to other sellers around the world,” he laughs. He’s seen Marvel shirts sell for above $5,000 while ultra-rare band tees easily go for $10,000! Fun fact: Nirvana tees are some of the most valuable to date.
Even though there are (potentially) big bucks involved, Josh isn’t fully in this for the money. Because he started as an avid collector, the products he picks are often meaningful to him. While some vintage band shirt collectors may choose to preserve their collections, Josh doesn’t shy away from wearing his own. To him, the value of the shirt is dependent on his connection with the band or the history of the print. And that makes selling certain pieces that much harder.
“I’d definitely consider some shirts my babies,” he says. “Even if I sell one of those, I’d happily buy it back.” But, as Josh continues to curate his collection, the old has to make way for the new, and Josh recognises when it’s time to let go. “I don’t care too much about the amount I sell it for,” he tells me. Making a profit is always a goal in a business, but at the end of the day, ensuring a shirt finds its way to a new and loving home is the best thing in his mind.
Is this still where the money’s at?
Despite great support from his family and his loyal circle of customers, Josh has his own hesitations about how long he can continue selling vintage t-shirts full-time. Over the months, he’s seen interest in t-shirt collecting dwindle, with some niches falling off more than others.
“Don’t try to pursue this as a career,” Josh laughs after I ask for tips on how to get started as a seller. Unlike most other collectors who can rely on a day job to sustain them, Josh dedicates all his time to his vintage tee endeavours, which aren’t always glamorous. “The market fluctuates all the time, so it’s hard to find new things to keep up a good curation,” he says.
However, if that doesn’t scare you, Josh recommends starting as a collector to build knowledge. Figure out your budget and start small before going into rarer and bigger ticket items. “I’m fortunate to be able to continue doing this. As long as there’s someone out there who needs me, I hope to sustain this for as long as I can,” he says.
It can get rough out there, but I figure this is the sentiment for anyone who’s looking to build an exceptional collection. Whether it’s t-shirts, toys, sneakers, or bags, your energy will always go into looking for the next highlight of your collection. And to some, the hunt is part of the thrill and excitement of it all.
Psst: if you’re keen to get some vintage t-shirts of your own, browse Josh’s collection on @sonictitan.vtg or @deaththreadsvtg. Tell him we sent you!
