Discover Out of the Ark

Every now and then we find a stallholder for the markets that just gets it. One that fits in superbly with one of our theme days. This is the case with Danielle Spiller of Out of the Ark who will be showcasing her wares as part of Retro Depot in March and we know you’ll just love her mid-century furniture, lamps, china, retro clothing and more.

Danielle, based in Canberra, started her business 18 years ago by collecting things herself. She then realised there were many other people like her wanting to collect things that tell a story and so her business began. She started out dealing in antiques but over the years has changed her business focus to reflect the changing interests of her clients. She now sells a lot more vintage clothing and accessories including hats, handbags, gloves and shoes from the 1940s to the 1980s. And Danielle prides herself on the fact that everything she sells is wearable, as opposed to just collectable. She says buying vintage clothing from other people gets her thinking about the lives of the people who originally owned the clothes, and what kind of lifestyle they had. This has further sparked her interest in furniture, homewares and even magazines which give a great snapshot of what life was like at certain periods in time.

For Danielle, the excitement of the thrill of the chase is why she keeps collecting and selling, “It’s so exciting to find the perfect used cocktail tray and find out it was used at a particular party, or a beautiful dress that someone wore when their husband was courting them”. You can meet Danielle and see what she’s bought Out of the Ark at Retro Depot on 15 March, she also takes part in Portobello Road events throughout the year.