關於開店的故事要從2022年十一月秋末開始說起。
The origin story of our store traces back to the late autumn of November 2022.
我和我的好姐妹謝文曦按照約定的時間一併上網搶古著衣服，
準時到達卻是一件衣服都沒搶到。
或是因為高昂的價格，又或是因為別人的速度比我們更快，
但也是在這樣無果的一天，我和謝文曦決意開始屬於我們自己的古著店，
不再失落地遊走於「sold out」的世界裡。
My confidant, Natalie, and I logged onto a vintage website promptly at a scheduled time in hopes of snapping up some vintage clothing from their newest drop.
Despite our efforts, we were unable to obtain any pieces.
It was either due to the exorbitant prices or the quicker actions of other shoppers.
Nonetheless, it was on that fruitless day that Natalie and I decided to start our own vintage store,
ending our meandering in a world of "sold outs".
我是個情感極其豐富之人，實則現代版杜甫，輕易地「感時花濺淚，恨別鳥驚心」。
對待每一個人每一件事，甚至於一件別人眼裡的死物，
我亦賦予她最蓬勃張揚的生命力。
也正因如此，
我和任何投入了不少時間的物品有著很深的連結，尤其是古著，
她們之於我除了是衣服，是我選擇的皮膚，
更是朋友。
我熱愛每一件古著背後的故事。
而她來到了我的手上，自是要把屬於我和她的這一篇章以最唯美的形式書寫下去。
I am a person with great depths of emotions, essentially a modern embodiment of Du Fu, easily agitated in feelings or sensibilities.
I bestow each person and every matter, even inanimate objects in the eyes of others, with fervent spirit.
My deep connection with every item that has captured my attention, particularly vintage clothing, is borne of this intense emotional resonance.
They are not merely garments to me but an extension of my own being,
a dear friend, in the truest sense of the word.
Indeed, I find the story behind every piece of vintage attire most enchanting.
And once they come into my possession, I feel compelled to write the most beautiful memoir of our shared journey together.
所以決定開店之屆，
我堅持要為她準備一個「盛大」的開幕，
不允許草率了事，
只是為了賣衣服而賣衣服。
說是盛大，不過也是把古著帶到一個適合她的地方與她們留下倩影。
Therefore, when the decision to open the shop was made,
I was resolute in preparing a "grand" opening that could not be hastily arranged,
for selling clothes should not be merely about commerce.
To me, a grand opening is an opportunity to bring these timeless garments to a place where they can be appreciated and leave an indelible impression of their beauty and history.
篩選了一系列的酒店後，
最終敲定了愛爾蘭的Ballyfin Demesne。
After sifting through a series of hotels,
I ultimately settled on Ballyfin Demesne in Ireland.
一月初那個寒冷的清晨，倫敦仍在黑夜裡。
在經過一番疲憊的舟車勞頓後終是抵達了Ballyfin。
推開房間厚重的房門後，
隱隱瞥見一直在夢中縈繞的畫面。
在短短的過道稍稍緩和了一下期待後，
深吸了一口氣迎面碰上了夏日花園。
On a chilly morning in early January, while London was still enveloped in darkness,
I finally arrived at Ballyfin after a tiresome journey.
Upon pushing open the weighty door to our room,
I caught a glimpse of a scene that had been lingering in my dreams.
After briefly calming my excitement in the short hallway,
I took a deep breath and was met with a glorious summer garden.
壁上藤蔓縈繞，枝椏上交織著盛開的花朵與果子，
密密麻麻的爬滿了這個空間，也爬至床柱上。
目光所及之處皆是春色。
房間的牆壁為Lucinda Oakes耗時六個月的手繪作品，
這個房間被喚為The Trellis Room，
「Trellis」意為植物攀爬的棚架。
躺在床上抬頭看，彷彿置身於花園之內，
透過棚架的空隙為客人提供一個沈浸式的花園體驗。
Vines entwined on the walls, their branches and tendrils interwoven with blooming flowers and fruit.
The space was densely covered with a vast array of plants that had even climbed up to the bedposts.
Wherever I looked, it was filled with the colours of summer.
The walls of the room were adorned with a hand-painted work of art that had taken Lucinda Oakes six months to complete.
This room was known as "The Trellis Room".
As I lay in bed and looked up, it was as if I were immersed in a garden,
with the murals providing a fully immersive botanical experience for guests.
我把自己輕柔地放置於床上，
享受著這份來自酒店和Lucinda的禮物，
讓這個夏日花園把從倫敦帶來的陰霾一掃而空。
雖只在這裡度過了一天，
歲月卻漫長悠遠，
連帶著對她的回憶也逐漸清晰起來。
I gently placed myself on the bed,
indulging in this gift from the hotel and Lucinda,
allowing this sublime summer garden to sweep away the gloom that had accompanied me from London.
Although we spent only one day here,
time felt long and infinite,
and my memories of her gradually resurfaced.
意識朦朧，
我順著纏繞的藤蔓回到三年前第一次遇見古著的那天。
我大抵像《西西里的美麗傳說》裡那個楞頭青年，碰見我一生中的謬斯Malèna，
而古著即是我的Malèna。
初見時的羞澀靦腆；
再見時的心如鹿撞；
擁有時的悸動仍在心尖上盤旋。
拋擲了小石子後，平靜的湖泊泛起了漣漪，
輕輕蕩漾著。
我對許多事雖只有三分鐘熱度，對古著的愛卻如那捲起的波浪般綿延不絕。
As my consciousness drifted,
I found myself tracing the winding vines back to the day I first encountered vintage clothing three years ago.
Much like the lovestruck young man in Malèna who meets his muse Malèna,
I was enthralled by vintage clothing,
my own Malèna.
The shyness and timidity in the first encounter,
the subsequent heart-racing reunions,
and the lingering palpitations in the aftermath of our interactions remain etched in my memory.
Although my attention tends to wane quickly, my love for vintage apparel persists like the undulating waves set in motion by a tossed pebble,
ceaseless and unyielding.
在生活裡的許多個瞬間，屬於我心裡的烏托邦與古著重合了起來，
一幕幕在腦海浮現。
她是那塊輕盈的雪紡，隨著大自然的輕聲低語而描繪著他們的輪廓；
那塊如綢緞般波光粼粼的塞納河；
那根鑲嵌著花朵的吊帶，宛如在托斯卡納的草地上盛開的雛菊；
那條曳地長裙邊精緻繁雜的蕾絲，穿梭於麗茲酒店的迴廊，與地上的古董地毯相互輝映。
恰如冬日的暖陽、春日的繁花，
既是雪中送炭，亦是錦上添花。
二十一世紀裡的一處桃花源。
而這些獨一無二的瞬間，獨一無二的古著有著屬於她和她的故事。
In many fleeting moments of my life, my utopia and vintage clothing converge,
playing out in my mind like vivid scenes.
She is the weightless chiffon that sketches nature's contours to the gentle whispers of the wind;
The Seine that shimmers like glistening satin;
the flower-encrusted shoulder straps that resemble the blooming chamomiles of the Tuscan meadows,
and the intricately detailed lace hem of a trailing gown that glimmers and reflects on the antique carpets of the corridors in The Ritz.
Just like the warmth of winter sunshine and the blossoms of spring,
she offers comfort in times of need and embellishment in times of plenty.
A 21st-century utopia, a refuge from the mundane world,
and a treasure trove of unique moments and stories that belong to her and her alone.
一個晝夜間，
我把靈魂無償販賣給古著，
無可救藥地投入至這份我心心念念的工作裡。
我摒棄了周邊的聲音，忘卻了在倫敦的一切，
把眼睛緩慢地閉了起來，
感受樹裡透出來的斑駁陽光穿過如蟬翼般薄弱的古著，
輕撫著我的肌膚，滲透於蜿蜒紋理間。
世界倏忽安靜了，只剩下古著和我。
In the span of a single day and night,
I surrendered my soul to vintage clothing,
becoming hopelessly devoted to this work that I have been longing for.
The sounds of my surroundings faded away, and I forgot everything about London.
I closed my eyes slowly to savour the speckled sunlight that filtered through the delicate fabric of each vintage garment.
As I felt the fabric gently caress my skin and permeate its intricate texture,
the world around me fell silent, leaving only vintage clothes and me.
像一輩子那麼短暫，又像一輩子那麼長；
像一輩子那麼真實，又像一輩子那麼夢幻。
It is a paradox of existence,
for it is as fleeting as a lifetime, yet as enduring as a lifetime;
as authentic as a lifetime, yet as surreal as a lifetime.
The Trellis，花園的柵欄，
Sous les fleurs，花朵之下，
我在此細細訴說我和古著的故事，
希望每一件古著都像每一個女孩那樣被惦記、被寵愛、被溫柔的放在心上。
每一朵花，
有她的顏色與紋路，
有她的花期，
有屬於自己的盛開與凋零。
我現把她交予妳，
望妳以自己的方式栽培這朵花，
亦許妳與她一段悠長深遠的浪漫篇章。
The Trellis, the garden's fence;
Sous les fleurs, beneath the flowers.
Here, I recount my story with vintage clothing,
hoping that each piece will be cherished, adored, and treated with tenderness like every girl who holds a special place in one's heart.
Every flower has her own colour and pattern,
her own blooming season,
and her own story of blossoming and wilting.
And now, I entrust her to you,
hoping that you will cultivate this flower in your own unique way,
and perhaps embark on a lasting and profound romantic journey with her.
妳最親愛的薇薇安上
撰寫於二零二三年二月十八日
謝文曦 譯
Authored by Vivianne and translated by Natalie
