Second-Hand Fashion Is Growing In Popularity, Study Reveals

The survey conducted by market research firm Institut Ipsos in October last year revealed the second-hand fashion trend is increasing in prevalence, especially in countries such as the US, the UK, France and Germany. The second-hand fashion survey was conducted online by Ipsos from October 3 to 15 in 2014. A total of 4,045 women (all regular fashion shoppers) aged 20 to 60 living in France, Germany, the UK and the US, participated in the research. Second-hand clothing has long been associated with the used, the worn-out, tainted and even odorous. But some 74% of women surveyed by Ipsos said they believed used fashion items to be of identical quality to new clothing. Some even suggested the quality of used clothing to be of superior quality than their unworn counterparts. Moreover, 36% of participants said they would like to receive second-hand clothing or accessories as a gift.The survey shows a significant change in attitudes over the years - three out of ten women confessing they are more interested in second-hand fashion today than they were five years ago. Meanwhile,  one fifth said they currently buy more second-hand fashion items than they did a few years earlier.British women were found to be biggest buyers of used clothes. Not restricted to bricks-and-mortar, 59% of British women surveyed said they had already purchased second-hand fashion items online, compared to 55% of German women, 52% of American women and 41% of French women. As for re-selling fashion items, Britons and Germans emerged as the top nations, with 60% of Brits and 48% of Germans having already put their wares on the market.Most quality second-hand or upcycled fashion items are rare and one-offs. So finding used frocks, shirts and coats – still with their luxury-feel and superior cut, is a barrier stopping used fashion becoming more mainstream. But, there are some must-know second-hand retailers, both on and offline, pushing the trend forward in 2015. Beyond Retro – London Shoreditch and Brick Lane boast some of the best vintage and used clothing stores in London. Beyond Retro offers the widest range of pre-loved fashion for men and women from decades ago. Current stock includes Hawaiian shirts and its very own reclaimed, used-range of sleeveless cropped shirts. Come here for pattern and print inspiration and let the imagination go psychedelically wild.Amarcord Vintage – New York   Those on the hunt for a little bit on Europe across the pond need to visit Amarcord Vintage, either in Soho or Williamsburg. Forties, fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties pieces have been curated for the racks by storeowner, Patti Bordonis - keeping the clothes seasonal for ultra convenience. Bordoni ventures off to Italy regularly to find her treasures, so expect to find Hermes scarves, Pierre Cardin shirts and super-retro Versace jeans, just waiting to be squeezed into. Cream – Sydney Inner Sydney in Surry Hills is where Cream is found. The little store boasts a plethora of recycled, repurposed clothing with most of the used cloth being shipped in from Japan to make the garments on the racks. At Cream, button shirts morph into backpacks and boxy, Eighties leather jackets made from soft calfskin are restructured for a Naughties fit. Come here for core fashion essentials (leathers, tees and prints) and a wide range of bags. Vestiaire Collective – Paris/The World  Parisian fashion store Vestiaire Collective was formed in 2009 for people to buy and sell luxury pre-owned fashion. Selling solely online, the e-tailer acts as an intermediary between shoppers and traders, connecting fashion lovers from France to New York to Berlin. VC authenticates and checks all fashion items before reaching the buyer too, so the stress is taken out of being ripped-off. Being online, the store is really endless: Saint Laurent silver skirts, Acne gold sneakers and Cartier silver rings – all that second-hand goodness is here at the click of a mouse.