Hello, I’m Ruth Erika, founder of Idunne.
If you had met me a few years ago, you probably wouldn’t have noticed me. I hid in the office, avoided gala parties, and turned away from mirrors. I grew up in a humble family where clothes were a limited resource: we wore our older siblings' hand-me-downs and learned to be creative to fit in. That necessity taught me something valuable: clothing isn’t ephemeral; it’s durable, convertible, and full of potential. But back then, I only saw my limitations.
Throughout my adolescence, I carried the belief that "others are prettier," that I had no style, and that any attempt to stand out would be a failure. Voices from my past told me I "didn’t understand fashion," and I believed them. So, I buried my creativity in my bedroom, redesigning blouses and transforming trousers in secret, convinced that making an effort to dress up was mere vanity.
Until Vintage rescued me.
It wasn’t a passing trend; it was a lifeline. Immersing myself in pieces from the 80s and 90s, I discovered that fashion wasn’t about following imposed rules, but about finding garments that already had a soul and were waiting for the right moment to shine again. I started to dare. I stopped fearing "not knowing" and began trusting my instinct. Every vintage piece I chose was a small act of rebellion against my old insecurities.
The Birth of Idunne: When your validation becomes ours.
In 2022, after a long family trip, I listed my first pieces on Vinted. I thought they sold because they were cheap or scarce. I was wrong. They sold out in days. Then came more, and more. Month after month, thousands of women from France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Luxembourg started writing to me: "It’s exactly what I was looking for," "I feel like myself in this," "Your selection is unique."
In that moment, something clicked. It wasn’t luck. It was that hundreds of women, just like me, were looking for something more than fabric: they were seeking identity, wanting to feel special without having to fit into unreachable current molds. I realized that my "flaw" of being too selective and creative was, in fact, my greatest gift.
Thus, Idunne was born (inspired by the Norse goddess of youth and immortality). It was created to give professional form to what began as my own self-validation.
Our Mission: Let the right piece find you.
Today, Idunne is not just a second-hand store. It is a sanctuary for the woman who, perhaps like me in the past, doubts her style or feels uncomfortable in her body.
I firmly believe that there are no difficult bodies, only the wrong pieces.
My purpose is to continue scouring flea markets and private archives to find those unique pieces—90s silk dresses, blouses with forgotten embroidery, coats with history—that are destined for you. That garment which, when you put it on, makes everything click. The one that makes you forget sizes, trends, and criticism, allowing you to remember your true feminine essence.
We are a small brand, yes, but with a huge community in our hearts. We want to break the schemes of age, size, skin color, or hair type. Because timeless style does not discriminate; timeless style embraces.Thank you for letting Idunne be part of your story.
Thank you for helping me finally understand that I do know fashion: my fashion is the one that makes us all shine.
With love and gratitude,
Ruth Erika
Founder & Head CuratorIdunne | Premium Vintage & Second-Hand
