(Shopping)
10 Industry Insiders On Their Holy Grail Fashion Finds — And How To Track Down Your Own
Patience is key.
Just ask any fashion lover: Half the fun of making a really significant wardrobe purchase is the thrill of the hunt. Maybe you’re searching for certain pair of strappy sandals or a stunning shearling coat that made your heart stop when you saw it on the street. Or perhaps there was a particular runway piece from a long ago season that lives rent-free in your mind. Finding these holy grail items is rarely a quick or easy journey, but when you finally find *the one* the excitement is palpable (and the #OOTD selfies are even better). Shopping designer resale hits different then simply buying something you like off the rack from your favorite store or online retailer.
One of my most fervent fashion quests began when the Tibi 2018 Resort collection first debuted. It left me whirling around my former office, asking co-workers which of the candy-colored dresses would look best on me. Ultimately, I couldn’t stop swooning over a pistachio plissé number — I’m a sucker for a long sleeve dress and pleats — but when the collection finally dropped, it sold out faster than I could add to cart. For over a year I stalked resale sites like eBay, The RealReal, Poshmark, and Vestiaire Collective, hoping that someone was selling the dress, but to no avail.
Finally, in fall 2019, I scored an early access invite to the Tibi sample sale in SoHo, and as soon as I walked in, I spotted the dress on a rack a few yards away from the front door. Thankfully, one was in my size — I’ve never ran to the register so fast in my life (the fact that it was 80% off the original price didn’t hurt either).
I’ve worn the dress twice so far, once to a winter wedding in Brooklyn and once on a press trip in Paris, with many more plans to wear it in the future. It makes me feel like the chicest version of myself and I love it just as much, if not more, than when I first saw it on the Tibi runway nearly five years ago. Really, the fact that I spent so long trying to track it down makes it all the more meaningful to me.
I’m definitely not the only style fiend to set my sights on a singular item and make it my life’s mission to find it. My group chats are packed with exhilarated messages and mirror selfies from friends who have finally found the vintage Fendi bag or the leather trench coat of their dreams (and yes, we all celebrate each other’s wins by making plans to debut said treasures with a fun night out).
To learn more about what the fashion crowd has uncovered on their own shopping missions, I reached out to nine creatives to share their most cherished designer scores — and where they’d recommend others to shop if they, too, have any exacting wish list.
Michelle Li
Writer & Stylist
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“A green Miu Miu track jacket from the Spring/Summer 2021 collection. I loved all of the styling and prints and was crossing my fingers that they would produce some of the jackets or the pants from the collection. There are so many pieces that I loved that I want to slowly begin collecting, and this jacket was a good starting point.”
How long did it take you to find it and where did you buy it from?
“It took me about two years to find it, and I finally did on Vestiaire Collective. It was a great moment because I had originally ordered something else, but then that order was cancelled so I started searching through the website again and found the jacket, so it was meant to be.”
What is your favorite way to style the piece and how often do you wear it?
“I wear it probably four to five times a month. I love styling it with a pair of suit pants or underneath a trench coat or leather jacket. I think there are a lot of directions to take it.”
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“I think it depends on what kind of item you're searching for. I like to use Grailed for great designer archival pieces, eBay for reasonably priced vintage, Vestiaire Collective and Etsy for great European vintage (that's where I'll search for vintage European designers like ‘80s Emilio Pucci). Plus The RealReal and Depop for products that are more current and ‘trending’.”
Leah Faye Cooper
Writer & Editor
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“A pink Christian Dior monogrammed tank dress, circa spring/summer 2004. I fell in love with all things Dior as a fashion obsessed teen, and this particular dress — emblazoned with Dior's iconic oblique print — was one of many from the house's early aughts canon that I truly felt like I needed. It came out during such a seminal time in fashion: jeans were absurdly low-rise, the masses were clamoring for Juicy Couture tracksuits and Louis Vuitton It bags, and Carrie Bradshaw was redefining modern style. It's not just a dress — it's history.”
How long did it take you to find it and where did you buy it from?
“While I wasn't actively searching for the dress, I knew that I wanted to own something from the collection one day. In 2018, 14 years after it made waves, my friend Lauren posted a picture of herself trying the dress on at an Object Limited pop-up in NYC, and asking whether or not she should buy it. I replied saying that if she didn't I would. She messaged back saying she was leaving it behind, and I was at the pop up the next day. Thankfully, it was still there.”
What is your favorite way to style the piece and how often do you wear it?
“It's quite short and also rather tight, so I like to wear it with a denim jacket tied around my waist. I usually pair it with Jordans and Chloé sunglasses. The latter makes the look very Y2K, which I love. I wear it once a year in the summer.”
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“I may or may not check The Real Real daily, and I also follow a lot of great vintage stores on Instagram; The Way We Wore, Treasures of NYC, Valois Vintage Paris and James Veloria are a few of my favorites. I've found some amazing pieces on Vestiaire Collective as well. And while I've never shopped for vintage on Etsy, my friends have had good luck doing so.”
Jordan Guskind
StockX Global Cultural Marketing, Brand Partnerships
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“I love a statement coat or jacket. And I always wanted a shearling coat but I wanted to hunt for something unique. After years of sample sale browsing, I finally found my dream Altuzarra shearling coat from his Fall 2018 collection. With an unfinished leather edge on the collar and pins still in the wrist, I've built this whole narrative around the team working on the piece until the very last second before pushing it onto the runway. I should probably have it sewn and take the pins out, but it adds to the uniqueness for me. I know I won't ever see anyone else with anything like it.”
How long did it take you to find it and where did you buy it from?
“It took me years to find and save for because I didn't want to settle until I knew I had found the perfect piece. Cut to a private sale invite and a trip to the Altuzarra office with my Coveteur colleagues before our office holiday party — it was the perfect Hanukkah gift to myself that year.”
What is your favorite way to style the piece and how often do you wear it?
“I wear it anytime the temperature drops because it's one of the warmest coats I own. It's a real statement piece, so it works dressed up or down, day or night but usually, I like to wear it with a pair of Khaite jeans and black boots to let the coat shine.”
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“For those lucky enough to live in NYC, being early to a sample sale can pay off. For everyone elsewhere, I live by The RealReal. I've been shopping TRR for 10 years now and I'm a full addict. If you're patient, you can find some gems.”
Alexis Badiyi
Stylist & Creative
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“I believe shopping is done best mindfully and slowly, and I love building a closet over time. There is such a thrill that comes from finally finding the piece that you have been fantasizing about and searching for. I have been having quite the love affair with chocolate brown these past few years, and lately it has been manifesting in leather. I recently sourced a dreamy vintage Loewe bag circa early 2000s.”
How long did it take you to find it and where did you buy it from?
“I have been known to stay up late sourcing items. My friends will get the occasional midnight text of treasures I find for them. So a few weeks ago, on one of my late night scrolls, I stumbled upon *the bag* in CHOCOLATE BROWN LEATHER. The eBay auction ended triumphantly and before I knew it the buttery leather Loewe and I were arm in arm on our way into the city for a day of appointments.”
What is your favorite way to style the piece and how often do you wear it?
“It really goes with everything but I find myself wearing it most on longer days as it fits so much inside while still looking elegant. A recent favorite styling was with my Giorgio Armani wool suit, chocolate brown Margiela Tabi [split toe shoes], cream silk button up, hair tossed up in a Machete clip, and Gucci sunglasses on. It felt very early ‘00s NY on my way to set.”
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“I recommend GEM search, it filters through resale sites for you. Also SSENSE — I love to fill my wishlist up and go from there.”
Yaminah Mayo
Writer & Creative
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“The JW Anderson Cylinder Ballet Pumps circa 2016. I think this is one instance when I can definitively say that it was ‘love at first sight.’ I don't remember the face of the wearer or the outfit but I do remember the silhouette of the shoe: the sculptural heel, the supple leather, and the suede straps. It was beautiful!”
How long did it take you to find it and where did you buy it from?
“Five years. I finally got my hands on them via, where else, TheRealReal for like $200 (suggested retail price: $1,200) in early spring of 2021.”
What is your favorite way to style the piece and how often do you wear it?
“I love to wear them in a very relaxed way with oversized trousers and a billowing button down shirt or with jeans and a plain white cotton t-shirt. Sometimes, I'll spice it up and add some flair, wearing them with leather overalls and a leopard print mock neck. Most of the time I wear them to dinner or to grab brunch with friends. Minimal walking = minimal damage. The thought of wearing them to a rager of a party fills me with anxiety because liquor, a crowded barroom, and suede do not mix.”
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“I absolutely adore the serendipitous nature of thrift stores! I found trousers from Barney's New York for $25 and a lamb skin Jil Sander blazer for $35! If you are on a more deliberate hunt, I definitely suggest sites like eBay or The RealReal because you can be more specific with your search terms.”
Tyler McCall
Writer & Editor
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“At the moment, I think that would have to be my Louis Vuitton Sofia Coppola bag. I've been obsessed with Sofia Coppola since Marie Antoinette came out in 2006, and I've always just found her style to be impossibly chic. So of course, when she designed a bag for Louis Vuitton, I immediately fell for it. It's a slightly snappier update on the classic Speedy style which comes with a shoulder strap, and I find that kind of bag fits in seamlessly with the rest of my wardrobe. What really sealed it for me, though, was seeing Alexa Chung carrying it around back in 2011 — like most millennial women with an interest in fashion, Alexa has long been a style icon of mine, so her stamp of approval was an added bonus.”
How long did it take you to find it and where did you buy it from?
“This is not a style that pops up super often on resale sites. And of course, when it did, it wouldn't be the right size, or the right color, or the right condition... etc etc. What can I say? I'm a picky shopper. But Spring 2021, I got very lucky and found one at Rebag with the plastic covers still on the metal pieces and everything in the most fun, unique shade of green.”
What is your favorite way to style the piece and how often do you wear it?
“I love to use it as a bright pop of color to spice up or further accent my outfits — it's definitely enough to make a statement all on its own. Also, it holds a ton so it's good when I have busy work days. But I'll be honest: It's also pretty heavy [when] empty! So I don't use it every day.”
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“I'm a big fan of a saved search on a few key resale sites: eBay is a classic, and you can't go wrong with Rebag and Fashionphile for bags. I also have a few resellers I follow based on their aesthetic and the brands they carry.”
Cortne Bonilla
Fashion & Beauty Editor
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“My Chanel 2002 slingbacks. They took me six months to find! These are pieces made a while ago, that still look just as current today — true timeless staples that I treasure because they have no age, no wrong occasion, and no wrong decade.
Where did you buy them from?
“I found the Chanel slingbacks on TRR.”
What is your favorite way to style the pieces and how often do you wear them?
“I wear them at least twice a week. They look great with everything, especially jeans, but I love to style them with a modern suit silhouette, or a wide-leg trouser.”
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“Everywhere! I like to make ‘saved searches’ for certain brands so I can easily click on them again in the future. Vestiaire Collective is my favorite, but I've found great pieces on The RealReal and Depop, too. You just have to be mindful of what you're looking for, make sure it's authentic, and compare it to other items from the same designer for logo, tags, etc.”
Karolina Chorvath
Writer & Chronic Illness/Disability Advocate
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“My ‘old’ Céline (RIP) Phoebe Philo era tortoise shell sunglasses. I first fell in love with the classic style earlier in the 2000s. I was a teen then and didn't have any money of my own and could have never dreamt of owning a pair. After seeing the iconic Joan Didion ad in 2015, my writer's heart started pining over them.
How long did it take you to find it and where did you buy it from?
“Technically it took me about a decade to get my hands on a pair. I luckily found them on TRR just a few months before Philo left Céline. They were $90, and although my journalist's salary didn't really allow for expensive purchases, I knew I wouldn't find those glasses at that price ever again. So I went for it!”
What is your favorite way to style the piece and how often do you wear it?
“I wear them almost every day. The classic square shape makes them the perfect glasses for absolutely any outfit. I've worn them with a gown to my best friend's wedding and even on hours-long walks in Vermont.
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“Dora Maar, Ebay, Thrilling, and FarFetch are definitely worth your time. I also have really loved finding nameless pieces at local vintage stores. Montreal is honestly a massive hotspot for vintage that people tend to sleep on, if you're able to make the trip!”
Mi-Anne Chan
Editor & Creative Director
What is the one item in your closet that took you the longest to track down? When did you first fall in love with this piece and why?
“My Chopova Lowena skirt, which is the most wildly impractical skirt to ever exist — it has built-in leather, it's made of pleated fabric that's connected by string and grommets. But it is by-and-large my most prized possession (apart from some family pieces). It makes any outfit look 3000% more daring and fun, thanks to the fun metal details (if you look closely on my skirt, you can see the belt buckle features metal engravings of two little children like a story book). No skirt can compare, truly.”
How long did it take you to find it and where did you buy it from?
“I'm sure you've seen fashion editors and Dua Lipa trot this skirt all over Instagram and all that passive marketing really worked on me. I had wanted a Chopova skirt for a little over a year before I finally bought one because frankly, they are so expensive. Mind you, it's a designer piece so I get it but I am an extremely careful buyer and really like to take my time with things. I saved up gift cards for MatchesFashion and waited until the skirt went on sale and finally bought one. I ended up paying $100 out of pocket!”
What is your favorite way to style the piece and how often do you wear it?
“It's a true statement skirt so I wear it once or twice a quarter to be quite honest. I love to style it up and down – with soccer jerseys and sneakers or knee-high boots and patterned button downs. It's a little tough to pee in since the pleated fabric is pretty stiff, but it's worth it.”
For anyone else who is hunting for their holy grail fashion item, where do you suggest to look?
“I'm a huge fan of creating lists of key words to enter into eBay, Poshmark, and Depop every so often. It's how I recently found a pair of pink Prada Car Shoes for under $100 and an oversized Burberry trench coat for $80. I know it sounds like a pain, but if you're not hunting for something immediately, it becomes almost relaxing to peruse eBay every week or two just to see what's out there. When it comes to purchasing designer new, I like to sleep on a purchase for a month or two before I finally buy, that way I know if I really, truly want something rather than simply reacting to a trend.”
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