OUR STORY
Pascal & Co. is a small boutique in the heart of Leith, Edinburgh housing an eclectic mix of handpicked vintage clothing, curated homewares, antiques and objets d’art.
It was founded by Asta Petkunaite in 2019, an Edinburgh based artist and writer who celebrates old craftsmanship and has a deep passion for sustainability, fashion, interiors and design. Originally born in Lithuania, Asta has an appreciation for continental style and folklore, which often inspires our shop aesthetic, as do our frequent European sourcing trips. Asta’s partner Craig Finnie aka ‘I AM PLUTO’ adds music to the creative duo, as well as being a respected local musician/singer song-writer who works quietly behind the scenes on the venture. The duo met in a band over a decade ago, but that’s another story...
At Pascal & Co. we source quality authentic vintage and sell considered, lovingly repaired, individually selected pieces with stories, as many of our items spread across the last 100 years. We love organic fibres and you can usually find cottons, silks, woollens and cashmeres amongst our seasonal collections. We are sometimes partial to a luxury, heritage label and have an array of timeless British made classics. PASCAL & Co. is inspired by loving people’s stories, art, culture and nostalgia for how beautifully things were made in the past.
Pascal is our eccentric rescued pooch and we named the shop in his honour. He is also the CEO of the company and spends most of his time luxuriating on an antique chaise longue with his feisty girlfriend Francoise, who is now our Head of Security and not to be messed with.
EARLY BEGINNINGS
Having worked in some of Edinburgh’s oldest vintage shops to support her art and writing, Asta’s passion for vintage and love for all things old turned into a true romance. Her knowledge and collection grew, as did the journey and quest to find beautiful and interesting vintage pieces.
Trading at local Flea Markets & Vintage Fairs earned Asta a warm reception and returning custom from the vintage enthusiasts. This eventually encouraged Asta to quit her fine art reproduction studio job to dedicate all of her time to the business and in September 2019 ‘Pascal & Co.’ was born. European travels soon became sourcing trips. Fast forward a year and Pascal & Co. had established itself as a semi-permanent resident POP UP space within Leith’s vintage shop ‘Vintiques’. Fast forward another and an opportunity of dreams came up, as the owners offered up their premises. Two bloody and sweaty months of refurbishment later, Pascal & Co. had its own place to call a home.
ETHOS
Over the years, Pascal & Co. had become a true reflection of our personal taste, it’s pretty much an extended living room of our home. Every single piece is sourced with love and consideration. Our tiny space dictates how carefully we must choose each item before we bring it to you. My perfectionism also drives the quality and the condition of each garment, as I spend countless hours bridging the gaps between the past and the present. This may be in the shape of cleaning, repairs or restoration and lending old items new leases of life. We also provide a ‘made to measure’ service making bespoke garments using and re-purposing antique & vintage fabrics. Nothing gets wasted, every inch of brass or wood get polished, every single hole no matter how small gets darned, old stain removed, each loose button reinforced and every messy thread trimmed. There are often creative and visible mends with character on some garments... you might find an odd sheep as part of repairing a hole in old tapestry yarns or an embroidered juicy strawberry, which is much more delicious than a stubborn stain!
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
Hi, I’m Asta. I’ve worn an array of colourful hats on my journey so far and all the roads and pathways which have led me here have been artistic and creative ones.
I’ve always loved fashion and being an artist, I often searched for unique or slightly eccentric pieces for my wardrobe, always craving something a little bit special or one of its kind. Vintage allowed me to express my personality in that way. It soon became a lifestyle choice and I worked for friends who owned vintage shops and bought vintage because that choice aligned with my core sustainability values and lifestyle. Mainly I like how it makes me feel, the quality compared to modern day clothing is unparallel, I feel less guilty buying clothes and the element of surprise and joy when I find genuine vintage treasure is what really flaps my flares!
I love vintage pieces with personality and old objects with a soul. I never buy in bulk and only choose pieces which capture my imagination and my heart. I must confess, (as many of you might already know) this makes it hard to let go of sometimes. I love caring and sprucing up each individual piece, to add longevity to them, learn about their stories if they’ve had one, but mainly to make sure that you feel fresh, fabulous and that nothing falls apart on you. I want you to feel that the item has been cared for and try to put love not only into every stitch, but into every nook and cranny of the shop. I hope that you can feel it too. Much love, Asta x