How and where to shop for best luxury pre-loved pieces
I have been buying luxury in the Fashion area for the last 10 years and that includes a fair amount of preloved designer clothing, preloved designer bags and preloved designer bags. I remember back in the day there used to be some stigma attached to buying second-hand clothing or preloved items in general. A lot of questions were asked about it from "Is it safe to do so?", "Where can I get pre-loved luxury", "Are they real or how do I know it is not a replica or a fake?" or even "is it hygienic?".
All of these are very valid questions to ask when you spend your hard-earned money.
In 2020, the luxury pre-loved market is huge. There are so many websites who do it and from bloggers with millions of followers to average consumer buy their luxury from the pre-loved market. And yes, it is a great thing. Not only you are able to save another bag being produced and filling the wastelands by throwing away your unwanted items, but you also get to buy something with history and able to give it a second home. You get to enjoy products which are one of a kind and no longer in the production chain.
So if it is all well and good, how and where can we shop for the best luxury pre-loved pieces?
Where to Shop?
My experience is that I started buying from various different places such as local vintage markets, online pre-loved retailers and occasionally got something gifted or handed down by family as well. But when I wanted to be serious about where and how to buy the best pre-loved pieces, I wanted a place where I buy with a guarantee that it is real, I wanted experts to certify that the piece I am paying for is the real deal and I wanted a market place with a great selection of both vintage and modern pre-loved luxury items.
I also wanted to make sure that it is a true marketplace in the sense when you wanted to then sell it back, you can list the item on the same site making life a bit easier. I tested many sites and decided to settle with Vestiaire Collective and here is why.
Verified and Authenticated
What drew me first where was the authentication process. It is one of the things that made me use to feel really nervous when buying in the second-hand market. So my hunt for verified authenticated items stopped when I went through the experience of buying from Vestiaire Collective.
I have both bought and sold items through Vestiaire Collective meaning that I have experienced it from both ends. So when you are buying an item, after you have paid your item is sent to the Vestiaire Collective head office where there is a team of quality control experts to make sure that the items are authentic. If it passes their test, then only you will receive the item and money goes out of your account. This meant that I could purchase an item with a peace of mind and know what I paid for thas the true value.
Brands and Selections
One of the other main reasons I went with Vestiaire Collective is the sheer selection available on their website. You can find anything from an Hermes Kelly of a limited edition to a brand new pair of new Nike trainers and anything in between. I also love seeing clothes, mainly Vintage jackets, some hot and trendy dresses I missed out on the season or buying a great pair of my favourite Gianvito Rossi shoes. The key is to have all of these in one place and have so many pages to browse through.
Shopping Experience and Customer Service
Yes, it matters. In a digitally busy time, I needed an app I can install on my phone, make a wishlist, separate out my favourites and be able to bid for the items I like. You can do all of this with Vestiaire Collective and chat to the item owner in the comments as well if and when you wish to know more information about the item. You can request new pictures and ask them all the questions you have on the item before you buy. So for those of who you wish to join me, you can download the app here and enjoy the world pre-loved luxury at Vestiaire Collective.
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This is not a sponsored post. But for full transparency, I am an ambassador for Vestiaire Collective.
