Getting to know…Romy of Riya Bella Vintage

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

My name is Romy Alfino and I’m a Grade R teacher, vintage seller and part time blogger/author of Riya Bella Vintage. I reside in beautiful Cape Town. When people ask me what my hobbies are, I feel the pressure to list original, extreme outdoor activities but I’m quite low key. I enjoy the usual leisurely activities i.e: reading, watching good ‘ol telly, the seaside, dinner parties, shopping and I do Zumba like three or four times a week.

What inspires you?

Old movies; eg:  Annie Hall, La Dolce Vita, A Streetcar Named Desire (just to name a few). Icons like Jane Birkin, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Lauren Bacall, Marlon Brando, James Dean, Dean Martin and Andy Warhol. Poetry by Sylvia Plath, T.S Elliot and D.H Lawrence. Old music like Led Zeppelin, Billie Holiday, Chet Baker, Nina Simone, The Doors, Bill Withers and Marvin Gaye. Artists like Matisse, Klimt and Picasso. My family, Grace Coddington, Isabel Marant, magazines like The Gentlewoman, AnOther, Grey, Frankie, Vogue, Kinfolk, Marie Claire and the Russian fashpack (Vika Gazinskaya and Ulyana Sergeenko are amazing).

Your favourite places to visit in South Africa?

I like Franschoek, Muizenburg, Kalk Bay, Noordhoek and The Garden Route. Places I like to eat at are: Clarke’s, Jason’s Bakery, Dear Me, &Union, Woodlands Eatery – the list is endless as Cape Town has so much to offer. My favourite market right now is The Vintage Experience, it’s a pretty awesome night market. I like to shop at Second Time Around, The Deer Hunter, Glitterati, Zara and good ‘ol Mr Price.

What does vintage mean to you?

I’m all about authentic vintage and I try to steer away from second hand clothing. I think some people find it hard to differentiate between the two. Vintage is a garment that defines the era, that’s 20 years and older. I’m intrigued by the history of the garment so I look at how it was made, the fabric, the detail. With that said, I also like incorporating vintage with modern pieces and styling them in a way that it doesn’t end up looking all costume-y.

Your favourite blogs/websites?

Studded Hearts, Garance Dore, Man Repeller, Miss Moss, Vanessa Jackman, Guys on Sidewalks, Desmarais, Thunder In Our Hearts, Renaissance Man, Diamonds and Dust, Le Fashion, Calivintage. These are just a few. I have a loooooong list but these are my favourites. I like them all for their original content.

Visit Romy’s blog.