As far as shopping is concerned, nothing compares to the thrill of finding a winning vintage or pre-loved piece. Many (many) hours of my free time have been spent scrolling or scouring bricks-and-mortar stores in search of a stellar second-hand buy – and let me tell you, I’ve found some treasures.
And where better to showcase the fruits of my labour than fashion week? Usually, I’m pretty lax when it comes to outfit planning, but ahead of the autumn/winter 2024 shows in London, I was keen to wear some pre-loved and vintage pieces that had been on my wish list for a while.
Thursday was the official start of London Fashion Week, but I wasn’t attending any shows that day. However, I decided to treat it like “day one”, and wore an intricately-beaded floral top I found on Depop, after searching for the perfect “vintage beaded top” for several months, with Raey jeans (new season, but they’ll be in my wardrobe forever) and a vintage faux fur-trim suede jacket that I bought seven years ago.
The following day, I had a busy schedule and wanted to wear something comfortable, so I opted for a vintage John Galliano dress that I borrowed from London-based vintage platform, Baraboux, a vintage aged-leather biker jacket and a pair of Prada biker boots, which I’ve worn non-stop since I bought them on Vestiaire Collective last spring.
As a trainer devotee, I was inspired to welcome a pair of “smart shoes” into my wardrobe, having seen the new-season styles by Miu Miu X Church’s, Alexander McQueen and Tod’s. After looking high and low, I came across a pair of brown Oxford brogues by Prada on Depop. I also wore one of my favourite jackets, a zip-adorned, black leather style, that I discovered at a vintage market, following months of trying to score a vintage biker online. Both pieces received numerous compliments over the weekend.
I’d like to also mention the one that got away (well, it’s now on its way). I had planned to wear a gingham Comme des Garçons skirt, but it didn’t arrive in time. There’s always next season!
Fashion week also offered a great opportunity to speak to colleagues and industry peers about their favourite pre-loved buys. British Vogue’s head of editorial content, Chioma Nnadi, shared that a vintage Prada autumn/winter 2014 coat – which she found on The RealReal – was the best thing she’d ever bought, and commerce editor Joy Montgomery wore a JW Anderson X Uniqlo tartan skirt that she found on Vinted. Junior fashion editor Alex Kessler, meanwhile, sported JW Anderson’s frog Wellipets, which he scored on Depop after missing out on them last year. “They’re the perfect curveball shoe for any look,” explains Alex, who wore them with a vintage Comme des Garçons suit (also from Depop) on day four.