Vintage And Resale Shoppers, Don’t Overlook These Five Labels

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When I learned that designer Glenn Martens was exiting Y/Project after more than a decade at the experimental label’s helm, I promptly clicked over to The Real Real’s website and bought the deconstructed denim and shearling jacket I’d spent weeks eyeing. Knowing that the designer’s pieces for the brand would imminently be in short supply was all the incentive I needed. And I love it; the oversized, slouchy shape gives me a feeling of disguise and protection, while the double layering of its vest-like, shearling interior and vented armholes invariably provokes interest. And though I have no intentions of selling it, knowing that the jacket’s collectible status is currently fetching prices as high as ten times what I originally paid is the cherry on top.

Many loyal Dries Van Noten customers, myself included, did the same when the beloved Belgian designer announced his retirement this past spring. Though the longstanding label continues on in his absence—with Julian Klausner recently announced as the new creative director—the collections designed by Van Noten himself now hold even more preciousness. His pieces are often the first I seek out at designer resale shops.

Styles from Phoebe Philo’s now-mythologized years at Celine may remain some of the most in-demand when it comes to secondhand and consignment retail, yet there’s a notable handful of others worth seeking out, whether for the distinctive viewpoints their creative directors brought during a limited span of time, or for the resurgence potential of a particular trademark aesthetic; or even for the anachronistic ways some of these labels have held up. Fashion is an inherently ephemeral business, but we’re prone to forget too easily these days. Below are five other designers to add to your saved searches.

Sies MarjanMost fashion insiders familiar with Dutch designer Sander Lak’s vibrant collections for this luxury label, which he founded and launched in 2016, will agree that its run ended far too prematurely. The brand shuttered in 2020 due to financial struggles exasperated by the pandemic, yet there’s hardly been a designer since to match Lak’s remarkable eye for color: acid-hued greens, inky midnight blues, and deeply-saturated pinks, for example, in textural materials like ribbed velvet that enhanced their intense iridescence. Perhaps not for shrinking violets, Lak’s recognizable colors and wares engender a visible bond of sorts amongst wearers—one often affirmed without the need for words.

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Donna KaranWhen Donna Karan launched her namesake label in 1984 after a decade as the head designer of Anne Klein, she made an indelible mark on the American sportswear market for her “Seven Easy Pieces” concept focused around a streamlined, modular wardrobe that one could mix and match with facility. Because the ethos of the brand championed minimalism over excess, there was an inherent timelessness in Karan’s designs (especially the years leading up to the iconic mid-90s ads featuring Demi Moore and Bruce Willis), not to mention superior quality—in other words, pieces designed and made to last. Karan’s toasty, lightweight cashmere coats, and sharply-tailored blazers will stand up to any of today’s luxury offerings, most likely at a fraction of the cost. And with serious bona fides, too: That the label was relaunched in 2022 under new ownership further speaks to the growing demand for that particular theme of understatedness embodied by the original.

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Romeo GigliFounded in Milan in 1981, Romeo Gigli’s namesake label stood in stark contrast to the sharper-edged, broad-shouldered power suits of that era. His shapes were softer and romantic, and imbued with an elegant generosity that felt especially masterful, given Gigli’s precise hand—he was known for draping his pieces on models—and choice of sumptuous fabrics in jewel-toned colors. Nods and references to the designer’s oeuvre cycle back every few years (see: Simone Rocha, Dries Van Noten, Alessando Michele), but for diehards and those seeking the real deal, there’s still plenty of original Gigli out there for the taking. And because he typically designed his garments individually—instead of as full outfits—virtually every piece is a statement-maker.

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Calvin Klein (The Raf Simons-Era)Raf Simons’ tenure at Calvin Klein was short and sweet, and so, so good. He only designed four collections between 2017 and 2019, yet the Belgian designer’s imprint on the classic American brand’s runway line, which he renamed 205W39NYC, has gone unmatched since his departure. Despite winning both CFDA Menswear and Womenswear Designer of the Year awards in 2017, the brand struggled to gain traction commercially. However for Simons’s fans and those who loved his synthesis of fashion with art, cinema, and youth culture, pieces from those collections—the Jaws-inspired lineup, for example, featuring skirts with massive shark bites slashed into their hems—remain prized possessions.

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DelpozoIt wasn’t uncommon to hear the terms “demi-couture” and “pret-a-couture” used to acknowledge the incredible artistry and couture-like craftsmanship applied to the Spanish luxury label’s ready-to-wear collections under the creative direction of Josep Font (from 2012 to 2019). Font, a trained architect, brought an exacting eye for structure and proportion to his distinctive forms, often defined by clean lines and sculptural shapes rendered through a wildly vivid palette of colors. Most pieces felt like absolute showstoppers, especially given their exquisite finishing details (paillettes and sequin embroidery, for example) on luxe fabrics like silk moire, and they came with prices to match. That’s reflected in the prices on today’s resale market too, but no doubt, the pieces are for the utmost of special occasions.

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