I have been talking a lot about vintage fashion lately, so I thought this would be a good time to give an update on my current favourite brands for vintage clothing. As you know, when I say “vintage”, I am talking primarily about the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. A lot of the clothing from those decades falls squarely within my style ‘wheelhouse’ and can be found relatively easily (for now) at the thrift stores, as well as online resale platforms like Poshmark. For the most part, these are not high-end designer brands, though the quality of their vintage clothing is often on par (or better) than many contemporary designers so, generally, you will not be paying a ‘brand name’ premium for these items while getting excellent value for your money.
Everyone knows how much I love Ralph Lauren, but there are a few other American designers popular during a similar time period whose design aesthetic makes them worth keeping an eye out for. For sportswear- and preppy-coded pieces, there is Tommy Hilfiger. I adore their classic striped men’s shirts from the late 90s; they’re made from a very nice, thick cotton fabric and the stripe patterns are always excellent. Vintage Calvin Klein jeans are bomb, and this was one of the brands that launched the 90s minimalism trend. I would love to find one of their slip dresses or skirts. Donna Karan also did minimalism really well, with an emphasis on draping and sculptural details, as well as amazing, tactile fabrics (cashmere, sequins). I have a few vintage leather belts from the brand, and they are incredible quality and still feel very modern. Perry Ellis is more overlooked these days, but it was a very influential brand in the 80s and 90s; Marc Jacobs got his start in the fashion industry there. Based on the stuff I’ve seen (mostly online), I would describe the vibe as a mix of Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. Todd Oldham is probably more on the high-end compared with the others, but he had a ton of fun, bold, colourful designs that embodied the playful side of the 90s. Nicole Miller is underrated, in my opinion, compared to similar designers from the same era, like Betsey Johnson; I have found some amazing dresses that incorporate a more feminine/girly edge into the slinky minimalism vibe of the late 90s.
Now, when it comes to European brands, one of the go-tos is, of course, Escada. But I am not alone; everyone is on the Escada train these days, which means that the prices of their pieces are getting higher all the time. Fewer people are familiar with Laurel, which was one of its subsidiary brands, or BiBa. Their vintage pieces are slightly harder to find here in North America, but they tend to fly under the (pricing) radar, and the quality and design are similar to Escada. Another brand with a similar vibe is Mondi. I basically snap up every Mondi piece I come across that is my size and fits my aesthetic (most of them do), because the quality is impeccable. I love their jackets, skirts and vests in particular. I would also put Ungaro in this bucket. Agnes B was the ‘cool girl’ brand of the late 90s, a French take on minimalism. If you love the zany, maximalist aesthetic of Jean Paul Gaultier knitwear, keep an eye out for Fuzzi; it’s the company that owns the licensing rights to JPG knit- and beachwear, and they put out a lot of similarly-vibed pieces (think boldly patterned, bodycon mesh tops, dresses and skirts) under the Fuzzi label.
Come back next week to talk about more of my fave vintage brands to thrift!