PHOTOS BY NATALIE SINISGALLI
DEDICATED TO SUSTAINABILITY… and a strong code of ethics allowed me to launch Panache Vintage & Finer Consignment and Panache Home.
I created my 3 small businesses to make an impact in the world of recycling, re-purposing and redefining how we buy our clothing and furnish our living space. In addition, recycle a few of the quiet materials in our everyday lives. Secondhand shopping is booming, and it shows that customers are growing tired of fast-fashion, low quality retail. Bring on Luxury Resale.
The trend for secondhand shopping gained momentum in the post-recession period, when shoppers were looking to be more frugal with their spending. But its popularity today isn’t only motivated by a desire to be more cost-conscious. Millennials are becoming increasingly aware of the negative environmental impact of cheap fast-fashion, and they’re growing tired of the low-quality, throwaway styles being churned out by certain retailers.
Many low-quality retail companies are being hit from several sides. They have been undercut by online stores, which have reduced supply-chain times to as little as one week and are able to roll out new styles extremely quickly. It’s also losing out to rival fast-fashion stores such as Zara, which offer better quality clothing at a higher price point. There is a market for a customer that wants design and quality for an affordable price. Consignment and secondhand offer timeless products that last longer — for beyond just one season.
A craving for vintage fashion has created a resurgence of ‘90s clothing in stores, with some brands such as, LEVI, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren reviving their archive collections. Noticing that consumers were willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of old Levi’s jeans in a vintage store, the denim company decided to create a new collection called Levi’s Authorized Vintage, which consists of 50,000 Levi’s jeans from the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. The jeans were priced at $300 a pair. “We were sitting on an aged icon,” said president of Levi’s in 2017.
Millennials aren’t only shopping for vintage styles in thrift stores — they’re also consigning there better goods recognizing their worth. With over 3000 consignors on board at my Luxury Resale Boutique – Panache Vintage & Finer Consignment, Inc., we have worked diligently to capture the best of the luxury, couture and designer merchandise available.
Earlier this month, Business Insider reported that thrift-stores are experiencing an uptick from millennials who were looking to invest in quality merchandise and donate their low quality trendy fast-fashion to local Goodwill centers. One of the reasons for the influx of buying quality consignment may be because of the movement towards trendy, cheap clothing that goes out of style and quickly being donated. Many donation centers like Goodwill frequently sees fast-fashion clothing appearing six to 12 months after it launches in stores, which can make some shoppers less inclined to shop at stores that sell overly trendy, lower quality clothes. In some cases, fast-fashion retailers are donating directly to these donation centers to get rid of unwanted stock.
Many dedicated
mall shoppers are feeling defeated. So many mall stores are offering the same low quality trend, and this is frustrating to many, resulting in these products ending up in a landfill and in the trash.
Fast-fashion clothing has created a big issue with waste. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 26 billion pounds of textiles end up in a landfill each year. The fashion business is the second-most polluting industry after oil. According to The World Economic Forum, it takes 2,700 liters of water to produce a T-shirt. OUCH!! Millennials are conscious about sustainable living and preserving the environment. They are educated on the very stylish way to shop thrift and consignment.
Here are a few suggestions: Find your favorite brick and mortar, shop it often, follow the shop on social media, get in tune with their sale and frequent shopper programs, familiarize yourself with the owner and staff and when new merchandise is released to the selling floor. Become a client so you can receive calls and emails when your favorite labels arrive.
It’s the thrill of the bargain hunt. This shopping mentality has helped Consignment and Luxury Resale Brick and Mortar Shops explode in popularity in recent years as customers flock when stores are maintained well, identify with fair market-value pricing and have solid business procedures in place for one-off pieces. My suggestion when shopping resale and thrift is to go in with a different mindset, that you are not going in for something specific.
The adventure and the hunt can be the most amazing adrenaline rush.
Panache Vintage & Finer Consignment, Inc.
Trilogy Fashion Foundry
1855 Monroe Avenue ~ Brighton Commons
Rochester, NY 14618
www.panacheconsignboutique.com
Today’s Posh Daily Sale!
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