There’s a certain smugness that accompanies buying clothes secondhand. You’ve not only scored a unique piece, but it most likely came with a cheaper price tag and the invaluable burst of satisfaction of doing good for the environment.
According to Klarna, one in three Australians bought a secondhand item in the past 30 days. It’s widely accepted that in pre-fast fashion days, clothes were simply made better. It’s another reason why people seek out preloved garments and accessories.
We decided to hit up Sophie Hersan, the cofounder and Fashion Director of Vestiaire Collective, for her predictions on this year’s biggest vintage and secondhand fashion pieces. The global, online, preloved marketplace is a hotbed for emerging trends, as well as a playground to experiment with current ones. Below, see the top five aesthetic trends on her radar.
Quiet Luxury
With the rise of refined stylings of brands such as Celine, The Row and Totême, ‘quiet luxury’ has been dominating our social media feeds over the past few months. Fashion icons such as Sofia Richie and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are championing the timeless style [through] subtle brand identity and colour palettes.
When purchasing these elevated basics, it’s key to select products that have timeless appeal and understated elegance, while also being made from high-quality materials. To build a capsule wardrobe to this trend, it’s important you’re curating a selection of high-quality wearable pieces that seamlessly work with the rest of your wardrobe.
A great way to start is with a clenched blazer such as the Wardrobe.Nyc Contour Double-Breasted Blazer or Jil Sanders Double-Breasted Tailored Blazer. [Then add] a pair of trousers (check out The Row), a classic white T-shirt or tank and a button-up shirt. A brand to watch in 2023 is Khaite. It has been making amazing strides within the industry over the past few years and continues to deliver elevated classics, perfectly aligning with this trend.
Futurism
Futurism takes inspiration from space and the Metaverse, [and] was reintroduced through designs around the timings of lockdown as a way of escapism. The trend can be seen through silver and cool hues, digital prints, chain detailing and avant-garde silhouettes. [This is] seen through the collections of Courrèges, Loewe and Paco Rabanne.
Vintage Courrèges jackets, in every tone from neutrals to very bright colours, continue to trend within the preloved market. Over the past year, consumers have been adding a touch of futurism [to] their looks… Poppy Lissiman [and] Bottega Veneta come top of mind when on the search for futurist eyewear.
Y2K
Y2K is here to stay with Diesel and Levi’s championing the trend throughout their recent collections. Inspired by the mid-’90s and early 2000s, the trend experiments between the fine line of futurism and retro edge. The launch of Diesel’s 1DR bag is a great example of the futuristic Y2K trend.
It has also brought a rise in baguette bags; the return of the Fendi Baguette 1997 bag has been seen across Instagram feeds. A baguette bag can add the perfect finishing touch to any look. Pleated skirts are also having a moment this season, being featured throughout Miu Miu and Peter Do runway shows, and is a perfect transseasonal staple for autumn.
