Behind the style: SOULFUL THREADS
WE MET UP WITH KRYSTINA JACKSON, FOUNDER AND OPERATOR OF SOULFUL THREADS, A VINTAGE RESELLING BRAND.
“THERE WILL BE OTHER ERAS,” are the words of Krystina Jackson, the founder and operator of Soulful Threads. She started out as an up-cycler and vintage reseller and has now become a truly talented stylist and a growing name in this young antique thrifting community that has been taking over the street wear scene. As she showed us around her studio, we spoke to her about her journey in fashion, her favorite pieces, her inspirations and her motivation behind it all.
JOSHUA: How do you maintain a space of curation, while not boxing yourself in, while still having it reflect the identity behind Soul Threads?
KRYSTINA: I only use eras, because people resonate with that. But I don’t use it to necessarily stamp my name, like in description yes, but not with title. Only because, for me it’s more about the aesthetic. That’s what I feel like my customers enjoy, they enjoy shopping for the aesthetic. They don’t really care what era it is. As long as it fits into their wardrobe and makes them feel like the person they wanna feel like.
JOSHUA: How much do you nerd out on knowing seasons, years…like how much do you enjoy the research of this?
KRYSTINA: I enjoy the visual research. I’m not a person thats good with names, but I spend hours looking at clothes and what it looks like, what’s on it and how its going to tie into the narrative. So eras and years are very important. I also like to look internationally what people are doing in the same eras im looking into. For example, Tokyo street style, I really love 90’s rave subculture. It’s really like the vibe and attitude for me. I feel like that’s what people are buying. At pop ups, people aren’t asking me questions about who or what inspires me because they can see the curation is like a collection of my ideas and attitude that I’m trying to portray. Dressing how you feel and how you want to feel, I just think that’s so important.
Through this conversation it was evident to us that Krystina’s love for fashion was deeper than pretty fabrics and staying on trend. There’s a reason her business is called Soulful Threads. Emphasis on Soulful.
KRYSTINA: I’ve done a lot of research on black people and how they drove fashion during the 90’s and Y2K era, a lot of it was through the cyberpunk, futuristic, tech. People like Missy Elliot and people like that. That’s the stuff I feel like people don’t talk about that much. Everybody’s obsessed with chrome now, with GORP, but no one’s talking about Missy Elliot, Aaliyah. There was a lot of people. Right now, I’m just at the stage where I feel like I’m representing that (through my brand) by speaking to the black girls, the black femmes.
Earlier this month from Thursday, December 1st to Sunday, December 4th, Krystina came out to Hartford for a Caf Takeover where she displayed, sold and styled dozens of her pieces! Originally from Windsor, Connecticut and having experienced the art and creativity within the Greater Hartford area, it was important for her to come back home and be able to showcase all that she’s been working on. Below you can see several pictures from the pop up along with more images from our time with Krystina in her studio.
