Patrycja Piasta is funding her musical ambitions in part by sharing her love of vintage streetwear fashion
Rising music star PAT (Patrycja Piasta) may be only 18 years old but she has burst onto the scene with her strong female pop voice, original style, and knack for songwriting. Her fusion of fashion with her distinct Gen Z style and her original lyrics make her one to watch on the New Zealand music scene.
Polish-born, she immigrated to New Zealand aged 12 and has grown up on Auckland’s North Shore. After competing in Rockquests during her school years, she went on to win the New Found Sound Competition. This led her to the studio where she’s produced her most recent singles ‘Enemy’, ‘One & Only’, and ‘Toy’ (for which the new video has just been released).
It’s been a successful marriage of music and fashion for PAT, with the singer’s lifelong love of vintage helping fund her career through her own pre-loved fashion store. The Gen Z boom of vintage ’90s and ’00s streetwear (yes, that is a thing) has been a lucrative trend for PAT. Those low-riding Billabong boardies us millennials remember wearing in high school are now hot property and she says can sell for upwards of $50 all these years later.
FashioNZ caught up with the rising music star to get the lowdown on her love of vintage.
What made you decide to create your online vintage store?
I’ve always been obsessed with fashion. Once I started thrifting, I realised the value of some of the pieces I was finding and decided to use my passion for clothes to help me fund my biggest dream of becoming a musician.
How long have you had it for and what do you love most about it?
My best friend and I started our selling account in November of 2022, after going away on a road trip and finding some incredible pieces in secondhand shops around New Zealand. The thing I love the most about secondhand clothes is that you never know what you’ll find when you go into a store.
Where do you source the pieces from?
Secondhand shops all around Auckland. I love making a day out of it and picking a suburb I’ve never been to. I would say my favourite spots are definitely Wairau, Glenfield, and Onehunga.
Where does your love of pre-loved clothing come from?
I am a bit of a shopaholic. I love buying new clothes, however, I found that with the music industry being quite expensive, I couldn’t really buy clothes as often as I would like to. Discovering thrifting was a solution to my love for fashion and music. I could enjoy new clothes for so much cheaper and make money from it to help my overall dream of becoming an artist.
Where does your love of fashion come from?
Fashion is about expressing yourself. I love how it can make you feel confident. I feel like you can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress and fashion for me was always about experimenting with what I liked and disliked.
What are the most popular vintage pieces?
Vintage surf, Billabong, Diesel, Cahartt, Dickes, Coogi, and Columbia.
As a vintage lover, what are your three favourite things you have sourced?
- Vintage Coogi Jeans
- Vintage Dior White Button Up
- Vintage Giorgio Armani Jeans
Is it about sustainability or the thrill of the find or a mixture of both?
I love that vintage clothing is sustainable and that we are able to give old clothes a second life, so I definitely think it’s a mixture of both, but nothing could beat the thrill of finding something special that you would never expect to find in a secondhand shop.
You also stock men’s vintage. Do you think it’s becoming more popular for men as it has been for women?
Men’s vintage is differentially overpowering the world. I definitely wear more men than female vintage clothes. I don’t believe clothes should have a gender, as if you feel confident in a piece of clothing, it shouldn’t matter if it was made for a man or a woman. Personally, I have an obsession with oversized man jeans, as I can wear them low-waisted and their fit is baggy. I love it!
Do you think younger generations are more open to vintage and pre-loved clothing?
Secondhand clothing became a trend on TikTok and Instagram, so I think younger generations adapted to it quickly. It’s great how social media encouraged something that’s so sustainable and created a new trend in fashion.
If someone is new to vintage fashion, what are some pieces they can easily add to their look?
The vintage staples must be a graphic tee, carhartt or dickies jeans, and an oversized jacket. Accessories can also make a huge difference.
Who are your fashion inspirations?
My biggest fashion inspiration is Xavier Nigel, the recent winner of Next in Fashion. I’ve followed him for a while, and I am absolutely obsessed with his re-worked secondhand clothes. He is focused on patchwork and creates amazing prints from thrifted clothes. Absolutely obsessed.
As a musician, who are your favourite music stars when it comes to fashion sense?
I would definitely have to say Harry Styles. His fashion sense might not be similar to mine, but I love how distinct his style is. He plays around with feminine and masculine silhouettes and has no barriers when it comes to fashion. I think that’s very inspiring, as I find a lot of people, including me, are sometimes worried about what other people would think if they wore something different. Harry’s style shows that fashion is an extension of your personality. You should always be comfortable showing your true colours.
How would you describe your personal style?
My style is inspired by streetwear with some aspects of ’90s, 2000s, and modern fashion. I love mixing different styles and making them my own. I often re-work thrifted pieces and give them a new life.
Can you tell us a little about your music and where we can hear it?
I am a self-managed artist and my music genre is Pop with some subtle hints of RnB. My music is powerful and relatable, as every word is intentional and came from a time in my life when I felt like what I was going through could help someone else. I recently released my first three singles, ‘Enemy’, ‘Toy’, and ‘One & Only’, as well as my first music video. Music is my life and I am determined to make it my future.