How to shop smart this Secondhand September

As we head further into Secondhand September, we would like to share our top tips for shopping smart this month. With over 12 years of building the preloved luxury brand you see today, we want to share our insider knowledge on how to shop the designer brands and pieces that will become part of your forever wardrobe, as well as how to seek out investment pieces that can be sold on when the time is right.

1. If you are really thinking about long-term investment, you need to shop the classics. In terms of handbags, think Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Prada. It certainly pays to go for a handbag that design houses update and release yearly, as they retain a very high resale price, and due to the nature of their classic design, these handbags can compliment any outfit and act as a statement piece. Iconic bags such as the Hermes’ Birkin, classic Chanel flap bag and Louis Vuitton Alma are the ultimate investment as they have been in production for years and experience regular prices rises.

2. Shopping pre-owned can sometimes feel overwhelming as there are so many individual products to browse; it is hard to edit. Always ask the staff and use them as your personal shopper as they should have the inside scoop of the best products in store. It’s tempting to go in with an idea of what you want but it’s better to be open minded and just buy classic pieces as you see them even if they come out of season or at slightly the wrong time. Think about what items would form your personal capsule collection, whether that be a blazer and white shirt or a cross body bag and a day-to-night dress and start your search. If you are unsure of what your capsule essentials are, you can also think about the colours that you wear the most and start from there. Be ruthless and don’t be swayed by the brand or the great price. Equally don’t be afraid to purchase things that need minor alternations most clothes do.
   
   

3. This month is a great time to try out new styles and brands, easy updates such a different cut of jeans or layering up jewellery can quickly freshen up your look. As we head into Autumn, we also advise coats to be on the top of your pre-owned shopping list. They are often the most expensive item of clothing that we will ever own and your money will go so much further if you purchase preowned. We recommend investing in pre-owned coats and jackets such as classic Burberry trenches for Autumn, and Max Mara's lux camel coats, and Prada oversized puffer jackets come winter.
   
   

4. For savvy resale and secondhand September fans, we advise seeking out current season pieces, as they are likely to retain a high resale price if you decide to sell on.
   
   

5. One of the benefits of shopping pre-owned is the access to the luxury and unique vintage designs. However, authenticity can be an issue. Whilst we use a machine learning authentication device, there are a few key things everyone can look out for; in clothing, uneven stitching, labels sewn in badly and mismatched content labels are all often tell-tale signs of counterfeit goods. Google can be your best and worst friend but there is a huge amount of information on various forums and threads that can give you quick answers if you need them. When buying Chanel bags, we also suggest checking serial codes carefully as they are often quite difficult to get accurate; the numbers, scoring and sticker detail all need to align and be accurate to the year. These are hard (but not impossible) to replicate to exact detail. Failing that, we do offer an authentication service.

Looking to buy luxury, preloved items this Secondhand September? Head into our Chelsea store or discover over 2,500 items available on our website, making it easier than ever to shop sustainable this September.