We teamed up with thrifter / stylist, Ashley Tiesman of Cherry Baby Vintage, for her take on our recent Van's collaboration. She styled and modeled three looks from her personal collection, and responded to a short Q&A about second hand hunting, midwest life, and more. Read the full interview below.

Premier (P) : Where are you from?

Ashley (A) : I was born and raised in Clinton, Iowa until I was 8 when we moved to Hudsonville, Michigan.

(P) Describe Iowa without talking about corn.

(A) I don’t remember too much about Iowa since I was pretty young, but we lived in a beautiful Old English style home that my dad bought at auction and renovated. It was beautiful! And I remember the sun was almost always out during the winter in Iowa. No grey winters like we have here!

(P) Grand River or Mississippi?

(A) Mississippi! 

(P) How did you get into thrifting? What was your first memory of vintage digging?

(A) I remember getting into thrifting specifically in high school, but I’ve always loved vintage fashion. My grandmother passed down a lot of her vintage dresses, jewelry, and trinkets to me, and my love for vintage has continued to evolve over the years. 

(P) Who is stingier to share a favorite spot: thrifters, fishers, or skaters?

(A) That’s a tough one!! I’ve heard about “gatekeeping” in the skate community for sure, but I think it may be worse among thrifters. However a lot of my friends in the vintage reselling community are super open about where they shop because the inventory is always changing anyway!

(P) Is it getting harder to find hidden gems now that thrifting has become a popular past time for the masses?

(A) Yes and no. Because my tastes and preferences are always changing I think it has been relatively easy for me to always find great pieces, no matter what the brand. However there are definitely certain brands that I hardly ever come across anymore - Levi’s specifically. I used to find Levi’s a lot when I was in high school, but now I usually just buy them from resellers.

(P) Any tips for the beginner second hand store shopper?

(A) Always check the clothing racks twice! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve circled back to the racks that I had started at and then I find something I missed before. And always look at the home goods! 

(P) Most interesting story of an item you’ve found?

(A) There are literally so many haha. One time I was at the Goodwill Bins - for those of you who aren’t familiar it is basically Goodwill’s last stop for all donated items. Everything is sorted into large, shallow bins, and you literally just have to dig and sort through everything by hand (gloves are highly recommended, lol). It can get pretty intense when it’s busy and a lot of resellers shop here, so when you see something good, you gotta act fast. Anyway, so I’m digging through a bin and about 25 feet away I see the most gorgeous vintage plaid turquoise with an iridescent silk lining. It was just chillin’ on top of a pile of clothes in the bin. It was like there was a spotlight shining down on this coat, and I knew I had to have it! I could’ve resold the coat for probably $150 or so but it was just too good to get rid of. 

(P) Do you feel like you’ve ever bought a haunted item?

(A) I wouldn’t say haunted, but I’ve bought vintage pieces that have a really special aura. Like you just know whoever owned the item before probably really loved it and cherished it.

(P) What’s up with the Cherry Baby name?

(A) A couple years ago my friends used to call me Cherry Baby because of my love for anything with cherries on it and the name stuck. I do love the actual fruit as well (lol). When I started my vintage business I knew it had to be Cherry Baby Vintage.

(P) Is the name what inspired the obsession with red, or are you a reincarnated bull?

(A) The obsession with red actually came first, around the time that my friends started calling me Cherry Baby. In the years since I’ve always loved mixing black, red, pink, and cheetah print into my looks. Obviously paired with a red lip. Always.

(P) What’s your favorite movie that’s cringey to admit?

(A) I shamelessly love cult classics like “Jawbreaker” and “Heathers”. 

(P) Record that gets the most daily rotation?

(A) Right now “Chromatica” by Lady Gaga or “30” by Adele. All time fave that's always on repeat: “Frank” by Amy Winehouse.

(P) Worst fashion trend?

(A) I think I speak for everyone when I say low rise jeans. It’s a big no from me.

(P) Favorite hobbies other than thrifting?

(A) I love to cook, take walks or go to the gym, listen to music, and just chill at home. The lockdown really taught me the value of self care, so I really enjoy the simple things like lighting a candle, doing some skincare, and watching Schitt’s Creek.

(P) Old Skool or Grosso Mid?

(A) Old Skool!!