It has arrived! After six month of hard graft, organising photo shoots, commissioning articles, sourcing beautiful vintage products and interviewing two of my favourite TV personalities, all the while appearing at vintage fairs around the country at weekends, Issue 2 of V&OAK has arrived!

As the Editor, I see every page countless of times. I know the magazine like the back of my hand, and yet, it is still always slightly nerve-wracking to wait for the final product to arrive. Waiting for that final metamorphosis from pages on a screen to a physical, perfect-bound magazine is both terrifying and thrilling at the same time. But after the final wait, I must say that our Spring/Summer 2014 edition is a beauty to behold.

This issue as the last features nearly 200 pages of pure vintage and handmade content. Printed on thick glossy paper, V&OAK is designed with quality in mind. We are quite selective about the things we feature and the stories we include. There are lots of inspiring photo shoots, in-depth features and plenty of products to buy too. Our Spring/Summer 2014 issue includes some topical stories but plenty of timeless articles too, making each of our issues a beautiful keepsake to refer to time and time again.

And the best bit – each issue costs just £4.95 and can be ordered online here. Direct Debit subscribers get an even better deal  – two issues for £8 including P&P. Subscribing takes just a few minutes and can be done here.

Fancy a sneaky peek inside? Have a browse through my copy – I managed to shoot a few pics on my balcony before the weather really turned!

Dawn O’Porter (TV presenter extraordinaire, wife of Chris O’Dowd and most importantly to us, a devotee of vintage fashion) is heading up a brand new TV show all about our favourite subject. To be shown very soon on Channel 4, each episode of This Old Thing sees Dawn meet ‘vintage virgin’ and teach them the ways of shopping for timeless, irresistible fashion. On top of this Dawn has a trusty team of seamstresses on hand to help convert guests’ unloved vintage finds into something they can’t wait to wear. Sounds great doesn’t it?

I was absolutely delighted to interview Dawn to find out more about the show, her love of vintage and her view on High Street shopping. We even ventured into controversial territory and mulled over the question of vintage fur. Want to know what she said about all this and more? Check out Issue 2 for all of the goss!

Hands up who’s got Quest on their TV? If you haven’t checked it out yet, you must watch Salvage Hunters! The third series has just begun, and it gets better every time! The show follows decorative antiques dealer Drew Pritchard as he traverses the country in his van, looking for antiques and vintage pieces to buy. He’s invited to some of the UK’s (and sometimes Europe’s) most interesting sites. It could be a manor house belonging to the landed gentry, a castle in need of fundraising, Blackpool Illuminations having a clear-out, Brighton’s West Pier selling off what’s left of it; if they have something significantly old and decorative to sell, they call Drew!

Having been in this business for over twenty years, Drew certainly knows his stuff. I interviewed him about the show and some of the fascinating objects he has found in his career so far. I must say, Drew’s enthusiasm for his craft is absolutely infectious, and I am in no doubt that he has, as he confirmed to me, the best job in the world! Pick up Issue 2 to read the full story!

If you’re into your vintage, you’ll surely be familiar ‘Style Me Vintage: Clothes’, the hugely successful book which two years ago was featured everywhere from Stylist to Huffington Post. As an early exponent of vintage style, Naomi was heralded as an expert in her field and was suddenly in high demand with TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and many vintage organisations clamouring to work with her.

Now living in Portsmouth with her newborn baby, Naomi’s day-to-day life is somewhat calmer than it was in her London incarnation. I’m really delighted that Naomi is the second author of our regular ‘How I Did It’ section, in which someone who works in the vintage industry shares the lessons of their success. Her insight into what success really means is honest, inspiring and thought-proving. If you have ambitions of working for yourself, I urge you to have a read!

These are just three of nearly 50 features in Issue 2 of V&OAK! We aim to inspire our readers, so please do let us know what you think! Issue 2 is available directly from us at just £4.95, over on this link. You can also subscribe for just £4 per copy including P&P if you pay by Direct Debit.

We hope you enjoy the magazine!

See you next week!

Anastasia Grabova