Pieter Jongbloed
Owner, pjVintage
Growing up in the Netherlands, my dad always said our family was never without the necessities during WW2 because my grandfather would always have a connection or make a trade. Along with this man who bought and sold anything (from cattle to real estate and pretty much everything in-between), my parents who loved and collected anything old, and an aunt and uncle who bought and sold collectables and antiques, I couldn’t help but be bitten by the “collector” bug at an early age.
My collections evolved naturally and became quite diverse. I started bidding at auctions by the age of 12 which transitioned into selling – a picker was born.
Add into the mix almost 2 decades of retail visual merchandising and window dressing and voila, and pjVINTAGE was born.
I collect and sell, or “trade up” as we call it, and have amassed a whole lot of mannequins and related visual materials that I rent and sell.
Vintage clothing was a later addition that emerged when I began to sell mannequins online as they would need to be shown dressed for selling purposes and while male mannequins were easy to dress with items on hand, the ladies and children proved more challenging.
Mannequins themselves required a whole new set of knowledge, covering everything from history to repair.
The historians among the collectors are very willing to share their knowledge and I in turn am happy to educate too.
There are many of us collectors out there and all seem to have favourite brands and styles.
Weird mannequin poses, faces and hard to dress styles are the rarest as they were usually used less in retail environments and the first to be discarded.
OVERVIEW
Vintage mannequin collector, restorer and historian
Over 18 years experience with foremost retail stores
University study in colour, sculpture, drawing and art history
Training in architectural design including drafting
Passionate about fashion and design
Extensive knowledge of mannequins
Organized and quick worker
Punctual and dedicated
EDUCATION
1991 – 1995
University of Manitoba, School of Fine Arts
1990 – 1991
Diploma: Architectural Drafting, Red River College
AWARDS
Winner: Staube Cookware: Best Holiday Window Display 2010
Winner: Trudeau Corporation: Best Holiday Window Display 2007 and 2008
Winner: Best National in Store Set-up: Steve Madden, 1998
Winner: Downtown Biz “Seasonal Spirit Windows” 1997 and 1998
Winner: Best set-up Clinique Cosmetics Promotion, 1996
EMPLOYMENT
2015 - present
Costumer in Film
Projects: (2015-present) also see IMDb
Flag Day (assistant costume designer)
Nobody (buyer)
A Dog’s Journey (seamster)
Grudge (assistant costume designer)
Christmas Connection - Hallmark (assistant costume designer)
Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy (costume assistant)
Siberia (assistant costume designer)
Cult of Chucky (assistant costume designer)
Journey Back To Christmas - Hallmark (assistant costume designer)
Incident in a Ghostland (buyer)
Washed Away (set supervisor)
Sordid Wedding (assistant costume designer)
Midnight Man (costume trainee)
A Dog’s Purpose (costume trainee)
2014
Anthropologie – New store set-up
2013 – 2014
Regional Visual Specialist Ricki’s Canada Manitoba/NW Ontario
Oversee in-store visual for Manitoba/NW Ontario region
Plan and implement monthly merchandise rotation
Train in-store merchandise specialists and management
Support Ricki’s Home Office Visual team
Setup Ricki’s monthly concept store
2010 – 2013
National Visual Coordinator, Ricki’s Canada Home Office
Plan monthly merchandise rotation
Initial concept store setup
Communicate visual direction for 155 stores
New store setups and renovations
2004 – 2010
Display Stylist, Le Chateau Canada, Mid-west Region
Communicate with Corporate Marketing and Visual
Collaborate Corporate directions with store management
Design and set-up window displays
Arrange interactive mannequin placement
Plan and design seasonal decor prop
Reset renovated stores
Develop balanced store lighting schemes
2000 – 2004
Visual Merchandiser, Laura Shoppes Canada, Winnipeg Region
Window design and set-up
Merchandise moves
Store set-up
Merchandising Seminar Trainer
Training new hires, Edmonton, Alberta
1999 – 2000
Visual Merchandiser, The Bay, Winnipeg Downtown
Men’s wear
Window design and set-up
Floor displays
Merchandise moves
Prop design and manufacture
Seasonal decor and set-up
Mannequin maintenance and repair
1996 – 1999
Visual Merchandiser, Eaton’s, Winnipeg Downtown
Women’s, Men’s and Children’s wear and Hard Goods
Window design and set-up
Floor displays
Department moves
Prop design and manufacture
Seasonal decor and set-up
Mannequin maintenance and repair
Community Volunteer
Costume coordinator for Rainbow Harmony Project, community choir
Past President, SOMS, fundraising organization