As London Fashion Week kicks off, "trophy vintage" fashion is gaining popularity, with shoppers increasingly seeking rare, iconic pieces from luxury brands. Samina Virk, US CEO of fashion resale platform Vestiaire Collective, explains that vintage items have become a luxury status symbol. Shoppers are searching for archival items from brands like Gucci, Prada, and Saint Laurent.
While Vestiaire offers a mix of vintage and newer pre-owned designer items, the appeal lies in finding unique, often hard-to-find pieces at lower prices than retail, while promoting sustainability by extending the lifespan of garments. The site also uses a team of experts to authenticate items, ensuring trust in second-hand designer purchases.
Virk shares her personal connection to fashion, having bridged her Pakistani-American identity through design in her youth. She also highlights Vestiaire’s recent partnership with Emily in Paris, where character Mindy Chen sells her designer clothes on the platform in a storyline tied to her financial struggles.
The platform's appeal extends to celebrities, some of whom have secretly sold their red-carpet outfits through Vestiaire. The thrill of finding rare designer items, possibly once worn by stars, adds to the fun of shopping resale.