When My Vintage Obsession Led Me to Chinese Marketplaces Okay, confession time. My name is Leo, I’m a freelance graphic designer living in Berlin, and I have a problem. It’s not a secret addiction or anything dramatic—just a very specific, very expensive love for 1970s Scandinavian furniture and mid-century modern lamps. My style? Think minimalist apartment with one wildly ornate, conversation-starting piece. My bank account? Firmly in the “creative professional who occasionally splurges” category. The conflict? I crave unique design, but I also have a deep-seated, almost moral aversion to paying four figures for a side table. This tension defines my shopping life. Last year, it came to a head.…