Over the past few years we have seen a huge rise in the number of people who enjoy buying and selling luxury second-hand clothes and accessories. Who doesn’t love to nab a bargain or to buy designer pieces at lower prices? Regeneration is the next big thing: reusing, restyling, redesigning and altering clothes and accessories that we may have overlooked in our wardrobes. Check out The Zip Yard, specialists in clothing alterations and repairs, including resizing and upcycling; wwwthezipyard.com. Sneaker Cleaner, founded by Kevin Owens and recommended to The Gloss by Brown Thomas, breathes new life into pre-loved sneakers and revitalises footwear so that each pair can be worn time and time again; www.sneakercleaner.ie.
During lockdown, some of Ireland’s best preloved specialist built and launched websites when stores were shuttered (most found they needed more than just an Instagram presence). In 2020, Lou Slevin founded Lou’s Lot (www.louslot.com) as a direct result from the pandemic. After losing her job and with a wedding to pay for, Slevin decided to focus on a her hobby; selling vintage clothes. Starting out on ASOS Marketplace, she discovered her niche was selling vintage designer accessories, the things that made her feel dressed up and put together, even on a bad day. Throughout her journey, Slevin inadvertently built up a network, a community, of like-minded vintage sellers and sustainable brand owners. This September, Slevin is launching Mingle, a fashion showcase of the best vintage and sustainable brands in Ireland. For tickets email thevintageshowcase@gmail.com. A firm Glossy favourite, Irish-born but London-based Anne Marie Gee’s store Reloved Again (www.relovedagain.com) is a great place to nab both high end and mid-priced designer pieces. Setting you back around the same price as a Reiss or Rixo, this online store is unique because Gee really focuses on size and fit descriptors, often trying on each piece herself on Instagram Stories to give an indication the true size. She also offers a returns service which makes it foolproof. Here’s our edit of great preloved and reworked accessories available online now …
Reworked CD layered pendant necklace, Christian Dior, €129.99, at Lou’s Lot; louslot.com
Tan double-strap leather sandals (brand new / never worn), Gia Couture X Pernille Teisbaek, £125stg, at Reloved Again; www.catwalkgee.com
Brown leather ankle tie sandals, Isabel Marant (size 39), €145, at No 38 Dunville Avenue; no38dunville.com.
White low top leather trainers, Jimmy Choo, €140, at Cobbler’s Wardrobe; cobblerswardrobe.com.
Tortoiseshell acetate-frame cateye sunglasses, Celine, €199, at Siopella; www.siopaella.com
Brown leather crossbody bag, Lauren Ralph Lauren,€49, at Naphisa; naphisa.com
1970s gold bamboo bracelet, Kenneth Jay Lane, €125, at Newbridge Silverware; www.newbridgesilverware.com
70s Chevron vintage clutch, €65, at Om Diva; www.omdivaboutique.com
