Clasé Thrifts and Goods

With the recent opening of Clasé Thrift, Waco’s latest up-and-coming thrift store, the owner, Deoryen Thornton, “De,” has grabbed the Waco and Baylor community’s attention.

De, a young entrepreneur, opened two other shops before launching Clasé. His first store, Culture Threads, opened in 2018, followed by Way Limited in 2019.

However, De explained those stores “weren’t his vision.” Owning and operating this store on his own, he now has complete creative freedom. 

De’s inspiration for this store came from his personal shopping struggles. Growing up in Waco while loving vintage thrifted clothes, it was hard for him to find the things he was looking for. 

Finding a solution to this problem for himself and like-minded customers, he created a thrifting experience like no other. 

In the store, De has created an aesthetic and authentic atmosphere inspired by his personal style. 

As soon as you walk through the front door, you are instantly transported back to the 90’s. From the retro video games to bookshelves full of VHS tapes, this place screams vintage. 

Upon taking a closer look, you notice the details that make the store authentic. Some of the garments’ tags have the year they were originally from. This is one of the ways Clasé has created a shopping experience that stands out from the ordinary thrift store. 

The customers shopping here aren’t looking to buy a cheap thrifted T-shirt. They’re looking for authentic vintage clothes with a story, the same thing De was looking for before opening Clasé.

De finds these garments from numerous thrift stores across the country, ensuring you will never see the same inventory each time you come in.

With fashion being a huge part of De’s life, in addition to owning his own business, he also works as a stylist. Among the list of people he has styled are several Baylor basketball players. 

Basing most of his work off of his own personal style and using garments from his store, the athletes leave with a unique vintage streetwear look. 

In the future, as he works to grow Clasé, De plans to continue to keep styling as a priority. As for the store, he hopes to one day open more locations in the Waco area and possibly across the country, keeping the current location the heart of the Clasé brand.

Before expanding to other locations, however, De has a few ideas for growing his current storefront. He is even working to turn the back room of the store into a 60’s/70’s themed part of the shop that will double as a photo studio for customers and the athletes he styles.

With Clasé Thrift’s constant shift in inventory, you can expect to see one-of-a-kind pieces every time you visit. So head on over!

Written and Photographed by: Kaitlyn Cameron

Edited by: Josie Gruber