What is your dream designer purchase at the moment?
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Whether you are writing about Louis Vuitton’s latest collection or creating flat lays of Cartier jewellery. Simply working in fashion sometimes involves coming face-to-face with items more expensive than your entire wardrobe! It is only natural to aspire to purchase a piece (or 10) but it’s also a well-known fact that fashion isn’t the best paid industry. Over the years we’ve picked up a few designer shopping hacks that will make it easier to pick up a piece you’ll treasure forever.
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Charity shops and vintage shopping
You would be surprised about the great finds that you can stumble upon in charity shops. Patience is key as you have to go through all of the rails to find a star buy. People from all walks of life donate clothing to charity shops which means you are likely to find a designer piece for an amazing price. Popular charity shops such as All Aboard in West Hampstead and Cancer Research UK in Marylebone are frequented by celebrities which means you’ll find the likes of Dior and Miu Miu on the racks.
Vintage shops are another alternative to charity shops as you get the chance to find even more unique and select pieces. East London is the home to some amazing vintage shops such as Blitz with a crazy selection of clothes and other items.
Sales!!!
As cliché as this sounds, the best way to get a designer piece for a decent price is to wait for a sale. High street sales always seem to be on but for those of us who want the big percentage slashes, it’s best to wait until the big Boxing Day or summer sales. Department stores such as Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols offer the biggest selection of designers at up to 50% off (sometimes 70% towards the end of the sale). Making it easier picking up a luxury piece at an affordable price.
Net-A-Porter is a great online alternative to Selfridges and Harrods, which allows you to shop on the go. Sample sales are also another option if you don’t want to wait for the big sales. Sample sales tend to be more intimate as they aren’t widely known.
Top Tip: If you do visit a sample sale, look at the items you are picking up in great detail for any imperfections. There is a chance that the jacket you love has a tear, so weigh up the cost VS the price if a repair is needed.
Start saving…
As boring as this is, it’s the most practical way to get the bag of your dreams if you can’t afford to purchase it in one go. To those of us dreaming about the new Gucci Marmont collection, it hurts a lot less spending up to £2,000 on a bag if it hasn’t come out of one pay check. Whether it takes you 6 months or a year, the feeling of accomplishment will be immense! When going for an over the top item, bear in mind how classic it is. The highlighter-yellow Christian Louboutin’s that you just spent £400 on may look hot right now, but in two years’ time, you’ll wince at the thought of putting them on your feet.
Top Tip: Check out our article about ‘Surviving on an entry-level salary’. No matter how much you earn, there’s always room for a treat if you have the short-term and long-term savings percentage right!
Designer Outlets
In 2017 who really hasn’t heard of outlets. Outlets are another great way to buy designer for an incredible price. They offer incredible discounts and varieties of styles and sizes, so you’ll be sure to leave with more than what you came for. Outlets also have sale periods or promotions offered via email so be sure to sign up online. Bicester Village is a great outlet, close to London that is home to designers such as Burberry, Celine and Balenciaga.
Top Tip: When travelling to outlets be sure to arrive close to opening as they are massive tourist spots and who really likes shopping in a cramped store?
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Let us know how you end up with your designer picks and if you have any other designer shopping hacks for our fellow readers!
