How Second Hand Shopping Paved the Way For My Lifelong Love of Luxury Fashion

As with most good things in my life, I have my mother to thank for my love of luxury fashion—but not in the way you might assume. Unlike many of my peers, I did not grow up with one foot already in the industry, surrounded by glamorous people, with access to a designer-filled wardrobe, or the lucky recipient of some seriously epic hand-me-downs. My mother is an academic, and while she always dressed more flamboyantly than her colleagues, clothes were more of a means to an end than a passion—and certainly no reason to splash more than necessary of her hard-earned cash.

That said, she did have one style quirk that she inadvertently passed down to me, and that was that she almost always shopped second hand. Where most of my friends would spend their Saturdays traipsing around Topshop and hitting up the high street, much to my dismay I instead accompanied my mother to our local second-hand shop in search of cut-price clothing—and it was here that I got my first taste for luxury fashion.

You see, it wasn’t just any second hand shop: it was where the wealthiest women in our area took the past-season pieces they no longer wanted, and as such, it was filled with designer treasures. It’s where I first got up close and personal with brands like Prada, Fendi, Max Mara and Vivienne Westwood that I’d only ever seen in magazines—and was able to appreciate the value of high quality materials and beautifully constructed clothes. It’s also where I unlocked a lifelong love of cashmere and statement shoes, and discovered more niche labels that I might never have come across otherwise, like James Perse for everyday basics, Citizens of Humanity for the best jeans, and Yves Salomon’s luxurious outerwear. And the best part? I could actually afford them.