Meet Meg Doss of Devolver Vintage

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meg Doss

Hi Meg, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was obsessed with treasure hunting as a child. A core memory that stands out to me is being 8 years old, living in rural Missouri and drawing maps with my best friend on computer paper, dying them with tea, and burning the edges to make them look old and worn. We drew a large red crayon “X” over a spot we named Big Foot’s Howe, our imaginary destination. We would embark on our voyage, dressed in prairie dresses, toting knapsacks filled with snacks and tools, seeking our pot of gold. I have always had a vivid imagination, and playing dress up was a way I could express myself in a multitude of ways. My mother fueled the fire by taking me to estate sales, thrift stores and teaching me how to sew my own clothes.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I started on this reselling journey I did not know what goals I had for my business. As I have grown, it has become difficult to balance my day job as a Policy Advisor at the State of Colorado with all the tasks that come with Devolver Vintage. I needed to establish my purpose for continuing this project. I sat down and wrote out my “why”.

I knew my goal going into this was not to make a certain amount of money, but rather stemmed from sustainability. Being the outdoor enthusiast I am, I was horrified when I came across an article by National Geographic describing the effects of fast fashion on the Atacama Desert, “Fast fashion goes to die in the world’s largest fog desert. The scale is breathtaking.” I connected the dots between my passion for heirloom, quality-made pieces from decades past that hold a story, and conservation of our planet. It is a huge challenge to confront our collective societal impulse to purchase the newest, shiniest, cheapest items and promote instead the purchasing of local, pre-loved, and upcycled goods.

However, as I integrate myself further into the reselling community, I realize I am not alone. I was worried that I would be lost in the shuffle of all the other wonderful pickers out there reselling amazing finds, that it would be a cutthroat scene, that I wouldn’t be good at all the different roles that come with being a one-woman show. It is not easy to put yourself out there and start something from scratch, but the reselling community in the Front Range has shown me that we are all here for the same fundamental reason and we can only gain from building one other up.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Devolver Vintage?
Devolver is actually a Spanish word meaning “to return or bring back”. I curate vintage clothing collections, including accessories and small home goods. While many of my items may appear more femme-focused, Devolver Vintage is a gender affirming brand. My ethos is if it feels good on you then it will look good too! I gravitate towards interesting textures such as suede, silk, embroidery, embossing, fringe, and of course, sequins. You will find pieces that span from the 1940’s-1990’s in the shop, but my favorite decades for fashion are the 60’s-80’s, and my favorite style I would call “western glam”. You can shop Devolver Vintage through online platforms including Instagram and Depop, but I can also be found popping up in RiNo at several markets this summer and have a booth set up at Park Hill Treasures! More information on market dates can be found on my Instagram page @De.Volver.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I will start with dislikes so we can end on a positive note. A controversial opinion being a Coloradan, but I do NOT like the cold. As someone who struggles with seasonal depression, winter is very difficult for me. In past years I have had the flexibility to snow bird during the colder months, but now that I work for the State, that is not a readily available option. Turns out winter is not all bad though, it brought me to the conception of Devolver Vintage!

Now for the fun part…I love food! I love cooking food, eating food and trying new cuisines. I gravitate towards Latin American cuisine but give me anything with a little bit of spice, and I’m down to try! In the summer you will find me, my partner and our dog Oliver camping and climbing, but not without my batched “Nalgene” cocktails and some fun foods to accompany.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @de.volver

Image Credits
Michael Walther @rockwalther on Instagram