People ask me all the time about how I know which lesser-known brands are worth picking up at thrift stores – i.e. which are the expensive brands. I go about this in one of 2 ways. Some brands I recognize because I follow fashion industry accounts on social media and occasionally leaf through fashion magazines; I have a lamentably large capacity for storing mostly useless information, so I can recall brand names I saw in passing even years later.

Otherwise, every time I spot signs of a higher-quality garment but don’t immediately recognize to brand label, I look it up on my phone and see if there are any listings from sites from Lyst or Shopbop, or high-end retailers like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus or Saks.

I thought it might be useful to share some of my recent (and not so recent) brand discoveries and/or labels that aren’t very well-known but which are worth watching out for; I hope this will serve as a resource for fellow thrifters/online bargain hunters.

Antipast – Created by textile designers Junko Jinushi and Kyoko Kato in 1991. Name references Italian appetizer that “sets anticipation for the meal to come”. Made in Japan. This skirt from the brand is one of my faves:

Oska – German brand started in 1997. Their website states that they have fully integrated production, the majority of which is done by 2 Czech partner companies. My skirt is, indeed, made in the Czech Republic:

Ovate – Canadian company founded in 2010. According to the website, all pieces are entirely handcrafted by 2 people (including the owner Audrey Cantwell) at their Montreal studio. All pieces are sold directly through their website or via the studio, and are made in very small quantities. I feel even luckier to have found one of their dresses:

Boo Radley – Australian brand founded in Melbourne in 2005. Sold in boutiques in Australia and New Zealand. According to their website, they manufacture their own clothes, although I wasn’t able to find a lot more information about that. Based on what I’ve seen locally (in thrift stores), they do lots of nice linen pieces – a sort of Eileen Fisher aesthetic. I have this one pair of linen pants I quite like:

Marc Cain – German brand founded in 1973. I would say it’s like a European Tory Burch in terms of aesthetic and retail price point. They do a lot of interesting prints (but nothing too gaudy) and details. Manufactured primarily in European countries; their knits are apparently now made at their own factory in Germany. I own several pieces, including this blazer (made in Romania):

Akris/Akris Punto – Swiss luxury brand founded in 1922. This is by no means a little-known brand – they do runway collections, after all – but for some reason it’s not as popular as, say, MaxMara. It’s basically a fancier, pricier MaxMara. Akris Punto is the “relaxed sportwear” line – i.e. the slightly less fancy side. Everything is made in Switzerland and, yeah, the quality is bananas. I currently only own one pair of pants from Akris Punto but this is a brand I consider a major score:

Crea Concept – French brand offering contemporary womens wear founded circa 2004. I could not find a lot of information about the company or its manufacturing practices online, but it’s sold at major department stores in the UK and boutiques like Blu’s here in Canada. I have found a few cool pieces at the thrift store including this silk skirt:

Barbara Bui – French high-end designer, who presented her first collection at Paris Fashion Week in 1987. Less boho than Isabel Marant, but still very much French girl chic. I think most pieces are made in France, including my cool wool-fringe skirt:

Suno (defunct) – American brand founded in 2008 (closed down 2016). It was designed in New York and made by local artisans in countries where the brand sourced fabrics (including Romania, Italy and Kenya). It won several CFDA awards, including for Womenswear Ethical Production in 2013. The skirt I have thrifted has the most beautiful hems I have seen on any garment:

by Malene Birger – Danish designer brand founded inn 1997. Similar aesthetic to Theory or Vince, similarly priced at retail. My tunic is made in China, but the website didn’t list a lot of concrete information about manufacturing practices:

Filippa K – Swedish company founded in 1993. Advertised as sustainable Scandi fashion. I recently thrifted a merino wool cardigan from this brand; although it’s made in China, the quality feels quite good. Retail prices appear to be on par with Vince, Rag & Bone, etc.

Modern Vice – Designer footwear brand founded and handmade in New York. Appear to be most famous for their boots, like the Jett style (which I was lucky enough to thrift recently); retail prices are $400USD and up.

Sarah Pacini – Designer brand from Belgium founded over 20 years ago. All pieces are made in Italy. Personally, it reminds me of a softer, more romantic Rick Owens aesthetic. One of my fave designers. I have thrifted quite a few pieces over the years, but this leather vest (secondhand from Red Pony Consignment) is one of the best:

Lida Baday (defunct) – Canadian high-end fashion designer; brand founded in 1987, going out of business in 2014. According to Wikipedia, she was called Canada’s equivalent to Calvin Klein (i.e. a classic, feminine, minimalist, sophisticated aesthetic). Her pieces hold up very well, and are great for work wear. I would put it on par with MaxMara. I have thrifted several pieces, including this blazer:

Iris & Ink – A contemporary womens wear brand launched in 2012 by The Outnet. Apparently the “Iris” part was inspired by Iris Apfel, one of the creative director’s favourite fashion icons. It’s not a high-end designer, but it’s marketed as “affordable luxury” (meaning retail price point starting around $100 and up). I recently spotted but didn’t thrift a lamb leather top from the brand.

Vanessa Bruno – French luxury designer who launched her label in 1996. I believe she has or had a diffusion line called Athe. According to Lyst, the “epitome of luxe, carefree Parisian style”. I no longer own this dress, but it was a very fun one:

Sea – New York-based brand founded in 2009. Similar aesthetic to Isabel Marant but with a NYC cool girl twist. I once spotted but didn’t thrift a blazer, which I still kind regret leaving behind. The finishing details were very, very nice.

I have limited the above list to brands I have personally spotted (or thrifted) here in Edmonton, so this is not exhaustive by any means. There are at least a dozen more lesser known brands that I have on my BOLO (be on the lookout) list, including Sezane, Polene (bags), Staud, and others.

If you have your own “hidden” gems, please share in the comments.

90s Reimagined

This burgundy Dynamite piece is actually a vintage dress. I know it’s vintage from the old-school label, the fact it was made in Canada, and because I can’t button it on my hips even though it’s a size 6. Ah, vanity sizing. Anyway, the 90s are back in style and after some initial hesitation, I AM HERE FOR IT. The key for me – as a person who remembers the 90s very well – is to take the retro piece (original or inspired) and put my own 2019 spin on it. So I am wearing this dress as a vest not just because I can’t button it, but because fashion. Okay? That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

Notes: Equipment blouse (eBay, $50); Dynamite vest (thrifted, $4); Aritzia pants (thrifted, $8); Cole Haan shoes (thrifted, $20).

Romantic Biker Chic

Butterflies make everything a little more romantic, no? I don’t wear this jacket nearly enough considering how awesome it is, and I blame that bottom strap. It’s heavy, always gets twisted out of place, and to add insult to injury, it frequently bangs into some tender part of my side/hip. It’s the jacket’s only design flaw that the strap is attached to the back and cannot be removed. (My Mackage moto jacket has that option and the first thing I did was remove the strap. Heaven.) Anyway, I do still love it and its mix of toughness and softness. I try to mirror that dichotomy with the skirt (soft) and boots (tough). I’m digging the result.

Notes: Moth sweater (thrifted, $7); Club Monaco turtleneck (retail, $32); Aqua jacket (secondhand, $150); Sarah Pacini skirt (thrifted, $6.50); Ecco boots (thrifted, $20).

All The Angles

This outfit has a lot of interesting angles thanks to the sweater – that party in the back! such an Anthro touch, but in the best way possible – and this very long, structured, wool skirt. The skirt is actually an extra long maxi that I hike up and wear like a strapless dress, which contributes to a tent-like effect I like very much in this particular content. It’s like a midi swing-style dress, except not super swingy because of the wool. Anywaaaay, what I’m trying to say is that I enjoy looking like a weird geometry experiment. And red shoes are always fun.

Notes: Moth sweater (thrifted, $8.50); Barbaba Bui skirt (thrifted, $9); J. Crew shoes (retail, $80).

One of my few regrets concerning my 20s is that I didn’t make the most of my opportunities to attend weddings. I used to hate weddings and, if a defence is needed, I will say that I was a perpetually single person for much of that decade. Going to events where you’re alone, don’t know many people, and could feasibly get stuck with not-great tablemates is stressful, especially for introverts. Turns out, attending weddings in your 30s with a partner is a different ballgame. One, I have a newfound appreciation for a free fancy meal and a kid-free evening. Two, a partner is a built-in entertainment system. Three, in your 30s, pretty much the only people who still invite you to their weddings are relatives or close friends so weddings are like fun reunions. The downside is that weddings are now few and far between on my social calendar. Any time they come up, it’s a big deal.

Care to guess what I did last week?

That’s right: it was WEDDING TIME!

The bride is someone I’ve known since I was 15, so this was a very special occasion … but since this isn’t that kind of blog, let’s talk about clothes instead. You’re not surprised to hear that I gave a lot of thought to what I would wear. I have a decent line-up of special occasion dresses and not many special occasions to spare, so the selection process is always a tough one. Recency of acquisition often is a key deciding factor; this summer, I thrifted a lace Tadashi Shoji cocktail dress that, naturally, became the front-runner.

It’s a very nice dress, eminently wedding-appropriate:

But I wasn’t 100% feeling it. First, it’s a smidge looser around the waist than I’d like (this will come in handy at some future date, I’m sure). Second, I wore a similar silhouette 2 (3?) years ago at the last wedding I attended, and I felt in the mood for something different. There was this Tracy Reese dress I thrifted a few years ago and still haven’t had a chance to wear:

Also very nice, a little less classic and more flirty, but still occasion-appropriate. The main caveat is that it felt better suited to a summer wedding than a mid-November wedding.

Let me pause here to say that, Edmonton weather being what it is, I don’t pay a lot of attention to the climate when I decide what to wear to special occasions (unless they happen to take place outside, which is rare). Going to and from the event is not the time to be glamorous, everyone knows that; the trick is to get rid of your parka, boots and other winter accoutrements are quickly as possible, and walk into the venue looking like you simply teleported straight from your house.

After some more digging around my overflow closet, I remember another thing I thrifted some time ago: a vintage, floor-length, fully-beaded skirt. It is a “look” but one that struck me as full of potential. The tricky part was figuring out what to pair it with – something that looked evening-appropriate but not dated. I nixed a black satin camisole on the latter grounds (too much of a 90s feel) and a jewel-collar cotton shirt on the former (too business casual). I was going to resort to the safe bet – a black cashmere turtleneck – when I had a stroke of inspiration.

A leather crop top, why not? I’ve worn this Zara top for so many other occasions (including work) that it’s pretty much its own wardrobe category at this point. In this case, I think it adds a bit of edge to this classic, vintage skirt and also creates a cool, modern silhouette.

The other nice thing about this outfit was that, due to the skirt length, I had to go with a pair of low heeled shoes. I am always tempted to bring out my sadly neglected Louboutins for “fancy” occasions, but the truth is that they’re not particularly comfortable and it’s a bit of a chore to commit to them, especially when there’s dancing involved; here, the decision was made for me and while I wish I had a dressier pair of low heels, these Cole Haans worked just fine.