It's 3am on a Monday when I'm woken by a sharp ping on my phone. “A seller has made you an offer" flashes a notification, as an original Dior Saddle bag appears on my screen. It's the kidney-shaped cult purse of the new millennium, a relic of fashion history designed under John Galliano and slung by the likes of Sienna Miller and Carrie Bradshaw in the early aughts. And today, a vintage reseller - Nicolo in Italy, no less - wants to sell me one for $875 (a modern re-issue of the design would set me back $5500).
In a Covid-induced fog, where television sends me dizzy and books strain my brain, the Vestiaire Collective shopping app has become my happy place. It's a digital market for preloved luxury fashion, and I've spent hours searching and swiping, hunting down wearable treasures and iconic accessories of yesteryear: Phoebe Philo-era Celine, lust-have Alaïa dresses and hot-right-now '90s Fendi.
Recycled style has been on the rise for a few years now, a response to the devastating impact of overconsumption on the planet and a growing antipathy for fast fashion. Research by e-tailer Farfetch shows that purchasing a pre-owned piece of clothing as opposed to a new item can save 1kg of waste, 3040 litres of water and 22kg of carbon dioxide, so - against a backdrop of floods, fires and news that the world's textile waste could fill Sydney Harbour annually it's not surprising that a sustainable shift is afoot.
This story is from the May 2022 edition of Marie Claire Australia.
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This story is from the May 2022 edition of Marie Claire Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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