Behind The Seams With Kelly Pisani: The Making Of Dainty Vintage
Step into the world of Kelly Pisani as she takes us behind the seams of her fashion brand, Dainty Vintage, sharing the inspiration, challenges and creative journey that have shaped her unique vintage-inspired designs.
“I grew up in a household where thrifting, hand-me-downs and mending torn clothes were normal occurrences. It was something my mother introduced to me early on. At that point, I didn’t think of it as something you should be ashamed of, it’s just an essential skill that you need to master in order to become a functional adult and take care of your things. However, high school tried to prove me wrong,” said Kelly Pisani in the opening of this interview.
The entrepreneur behind Dainty Vintage has been active within the thrifting scene since 2016, but to build up her dream, she had to go through a share of challenges.
“During those early years, I was often mocked for wearing thrifted clothes or for mending a perfectly good T-shirt and judgmental looks from both peers and adults became something I got used to. I’m strong-willed and I stood by the values my mother instilled in me. I never understood why clothes needed to be discarded every season. I wanted to know how to recognise quality fabrics and improve my skills in mending and repurposing clothing—so I stuck to it. Sure, I lost a few friendships and high school was a little awkward, but I think everyone experiences that. Now, looking back at where my vision has taken me, I know I made the right choice.”
Together with Lexi Borg, Kelly introduced her latest business concept with their first fashion show, held at Palazzo Parisio. Now, over a month later, we sat down with Kelly for an interview, where she shared insights about her upbringing, how she entered the industry and the hurdles she faced preparing for their first fashion event.
Kelly, it sounds like your mother was a key influence. How did it all start and what sparked your passion for clothes?
“Well, if you ask my mum, she’ll tell you I started pestering her around the sewing machine before I could even walk! Haha! But my first real memory is probably hovering around when I was 5 or 6 years old. I can’t pinpoint the exact moment, but I remember helping my mother get clothes ready for school, where I’ve patched up my very first garment. It was intimidating for a child—being around machines, scissors and the like—but my mother made it feel welcoming.”
I saw that you had some photoshoots featuring older Burda Style magazines, back when it was still called Burda. Were those passed down to you or did you acquire them later?
“My grandmother was a dedicated collector of Burda magazines and sewing patterns. She had a massive collection in her closet that I still hold onto. Then, I continued fuelling my passion of collecting Burda magazines by thrifting them! I love showcasing them in photoshoots because they were such a significant part of my upbringing.
That said, while my grandmother’s focus was more on creating new clothing, my expertise lies in prolonging the life of garments. It’s similar, but we approach it differently.
If you look in my closet, you’ll see many items with sentimental value, but due to their age, they often needed repairs. So, for me, thrifting and upworking are more personal.”
Today, you have a strong voice in the thrifting industry. Beyond Dainty Vintage, you’ve been quite active in this space. How did it all begin?
“It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when I started thrifting because it was always such a normal part of my family’s life. But I do remember when it turned into a real passion. By the time I reached Junior College, thrifting had evolved beyond just necessity—it became a creative outlet for me.
During that time, I didn’t just refine my personal style; I also learned how to tune out the naysayers and focus on helping those genuinely interested in learning.
That’s when I realised I could help others make better purchasing decisions and teach them simple repair techniques. So, in the winter of 2016, I started sharing my passion on social media, which eventually grew into what it is today.
My goal was to help people understand how to dress sustainably and with intention and to appreciate the value of their clothing. Once we no longer need our garments, we should pass them on to those who do.
At that point, my following wasn’t very large, but I was dedicated to becoming a thrifting and vintage fashion influencer.
The workload fit well alongside my college commitments and I had some fun clients to work with at that time, including FILA ‘Play it your way’, eCabs and BoostJuice. I also participated in the Gossip Rides project with Malta Daily, which was a fun way to collaborate with some of Malta’s most notable figures, like Peppi Azzopardi, Gianluca Bezzina and Malta’s favourite hitmaker, AIDAN.”
How did your professional career evolve after college?
“I’ve always admired educators and believe they deserve far more recognition within the community. So, after earning my Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education and Care, I worked as a teacher within the Ministry for Education for nearly three years.
During that time, I worked with countless students and honed my ability to simplify complex topics—a skill I still use today. That period will always hold a special place in my heart because I loved working with children.
Eventually, my passion for thrifting overtook my career and I chose to fully commit to what was, at the time, the first version of Dainty Vintage—The Thrifted District Vintage.
Since I was new to the world of sales, I sought out mentors and I can say that one of the most impactful experiences was working with Chris Bartolo Burlo at Thrift.mt, who helped me expand my knowledge and shape my approach to the business.”
As a young entrepreneur, what were the challenges you faced while navigating the industry?
“I knew my background wasn’t in economics, so I expected a learning curve when it came to managing accounting, taxes and imports. It’s something I’m still working on and I’ve been open to making mistakes and learning from them.
However, as a young female entrepreneur from a Mediterranean island, I have to say that establishing trust with overseas suppliers was tough.
It took a long time to prove myself and even now, after several years within the industry, we still face challenges.
Unanswered emails, dropped calls and delivery delays due to our smaller order quantities has just been part of everyday business. It’s not easy, but I’m confident in our vision and I’m sure we’ll find the right processes.
But international partners aside, I have to say that I’m really happy that we found several businesses locally that fully support our project. John A. Kingsley helped us immensely with marketing and Palazzo Parisio was extremely professional with the way they managed our first fashion show. We can’t wait to organise our second one with them.”
It’s been over a month since the Dainty Vintage launch event. How did the planning for the event go, and were you satisfied with the outcome?
“Gosh… it was a whirlwind! Planning and executing a summer event is something I wouldn’t recommend to anyone—especially in a country so close to Italy, where Ferragosto is practically a national holiday. Haha! Imagine reaching out to 10 people in one day and getting 10 out-of-office replies. It was frustrating.
Unanswered emails were the least of our problems. We had to deal with customs delays, dropped orders and shifting deadlines—it felt like everything was dancing salsa!
It was incredibly challenging and stressful, but I was lucky to have Lexi Borg by my side. I really have to give her a lot of credit for everything that came together that night.
I’m honestly not sure we could have pulled off the event without her help.”
How has working with Lexi Borg shaped your journey?
“Lexi has been a crucial part of my journey and in shaping the brand. She’s helped me sharpen my vision and focus on what truly matters. Today, we co-own Sincerely Hunny LTD, the parent company behind Dainty Vintage and I’m so proud of what we’ve built together.
It’s a blessing to work with someone who not only understands you but shares your passion.”
At the event, Lexi mentioned that there are expansion plans for the brand. Can you share what’s next for Dainty Vintage in 2025?
“Both of us are passionate about establishing a strong presence here in Malta, it’s our home country after all and we want to offer job opportunities to people who share our vision. I’m particularly focused on creating opportunities for marginalised communities, especially women who’ve experienced abuse or faced challenges due to their past. If I can help others through my business, then I know I’m doing something meaningful.
If you’re a business professional who’s into vintage fashion and thrifting, we’d love to hear from you—whether on LinkedIn or through our website.
Once we’ve established ourselves here, we plan to expand to the UK and eventually, the US market. It’s exciting to think about where we can take this brand, but beyond growth, we want to use Dainty Vintage as a force for good.”
Thank you, Kelly! If our readers would like to connect with your brand, where should they go?
“Thank you for the lovely interview! Let me share the links with you.
So, the main shop is hosted at www.daintyvintage.com, where you can register and explore all the latest products we offer. We’re also in the process of building a ‘drop day’ schedule, where every Monday, we’ll introduce new items to our collection, with the plan of adding up to 100 new items per week.
We are also active on various social media platforms, on Instagram you can find us under @thedaintyvintage and on Facebook at Dainty Vintage. We’d love to connect with you there!”
With Lexi Borg by her side, Kelly has transformed her childhood lessons into a thriving business that goes beyond fashion—it promotes a mindful approach to consumption.
As Dainty Vintage continues to grow, Kelly remains focused on expanding the brand internationally while staying true to her roots in thrifting and vintage fashion. Her message is clear: fashion should be purposeful, sustainable and accessible to everyone.
Looking ahead, Kelly’s vision is not just to scale Dainty Vintage but to create meaningful impact within her community and beyond—proving that style, sustainability and social responsibility can indeed go hand in hand.