How to make designer gear affordable
In these post-recession times, it's easy to dismiss designer
fashion as being out of reach but for those in the know there are
plenty of ways to get your hands on designer gear for less.
Vintage might be scary for the uninitiated but it's a great way to
buy designer labels at a fraction of the price. Start with recycled
designer clothing outlets like Tattys (Ponsonby Road, Auckland) or
the Recycle Boutique (locations throughout New Zealand). They
sell only top of the range preloved clothing so you're sure to be
buying quality.
Once you've mastered the art of shopping vintage, you could even
try braving your local second hand stores or charity shops for that
once in a lifetime designer bargain. Did you hear the one about the
girl who scored a fabulous Kate Sylvester skirt hiding among the
racks of her neighbourhood Sally Army store?
A long with the rise of vintage, shwopping is another recession
friendly trend for scoring cheap designer
finds. Shwopping started out with groups of friends
getting together and exchanging their unwanted clothes. These
days there are organised events like The Big Shwop here in NZ where
you pay a set entry fee, bring along some of your unwanted designer
clothes and exchange them for someone else's preloved
fashion. Look out for shwopping events near you or organise
your own clothes swapping event with friends.
Another way to have a piece of your favourite designer is to invest
in designer accessories. Local designers like Karen Walker, Huffer
and Stolen Girlfriends Club have jewellery ranges widely available
and they're proving hugely popular.
It's an easy way to lend a touch of designer cred to an outfit and
you'll have a piece of beautiful designer jewellery that will last
forever.
Snap up a bargain by shopping end of season designer sales to and
make sure to pick up pieces that will take you through to next
year.
Luckily for us end of season sales coincide with the release of new
season trends in the northern hemisphere, so check out
international fashion magazines and blogs before you shop to see
which trends to stick with for next season.
Online shopping is a way of life these days and there are plenty of
online fashion retailers offering designer duds for less.
Local sites like Once'it and NZSale offer exclusive sales from
local and international designers while international sites like
Net-a-porter, BlueFly or Asos offer a wide range of designer
fashion at reasonable prices.
Once again our reverse seasons work to your advantage as last
season's winter or summer stock will be on sale just as we come
into season.
Finally one of the best ways to snap up designer fashion for less
will be at the Designer Garage Sale at Fashion Week this
year. On Friday 2nd of September and Saturday 3rd of
September, around 40 New Zealand designers - including some of
our favs like Lonely Hearts and Kathryn Wilson will be selling
garments at drastically reduced prices.
Head to the
Fashion Week website to buy your
tickets now!
