Vintage Market of Pugliano – Ercolano, Italy - Atlas Obscura

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Vintage Market of Pugliano

For decades, vendors have sold clothes once worn by American soldiers who stormed Italy in the 1940s. 

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In search of an original khaki military jacket or camouflage trousers from World War II? An open-air Italian market has you covered.

The market of Pugliano (also known as the market of Resina) is one of Italy’s best-stocked spots for secondhand clothes and military surplus items. It dates to 1944, when clothes and other objects were snatched from passing American convoys, then sold. After the war, American troops left clothing and supplies behind in warehouses outside the city. These, along with secondhand clothes from the United States, helped meet locals’ needs when the supply chain was heavily disrupted. Ever since, these items have been sold along this street-long market, which sits just outside Naples.

Shoppers come from Naples and other nearby cities to sift through denim, vintage wedding dresses, and more. Fashion designers and costumers from Rome have also spent hours digging through boxes in search of inspiration for collections or upcoming productions.

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March 9, 2021

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