There’s something quite thrilling about buying high-end fashion pieces, for their promised quality and luxurious experience. However, recent events have instilled the importance of being frugal with our money where possible. Though I have known about rental services for occasion-wear clothing, as well as the concept of preloved luxury fashion, I had not made serious inroads into trying them myself.
With my birthday approaching, I turned to the Internet in search of a beautiful handbag to indulge myself. Each item I saw was exorbitantly priced, with heavy shipping tacked on. Then someone recommended ReTag — a luxury re-selling service that operates online. Founded by Namisha Gupta, a millennial with a degree in the Business of Fashion, this online shop for pre-loved luxury goods, immediately piqued my interest and led me to browse their ample catalogue.
If you are not convinced about investing in pre-loved luxury fashion, here are five reasons you should reconsider:
1. EASY ON THE POCKET
The lockdown has wreaked havoc on the economy and big spenders are now thinking twice before spending cash readily. You should not have to compromise on your desires simply because the price tag seems out of reach. Pre-loved luxury items are priced at a fraction of the cost of their brand-new counterparts. Retailers of preloved goods ensure the pieces are in the best possible condition, despite prior use. If you have been sitting on the fence about any one particular item because of its price, search for a pre-loved equivalent instead.
2. ECO-FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE
Even if saving money is not your concern, saving the environment certainly should be. With overflowing landfills destroying our ecosystem, and the imminent onset of global warming, it is imperative to conserve and preserve nature’s gifts bestowed on us. By investing in a pre-loved item, you are stopping that item from being turned into unwanted garbage and reducing the severe ecological impacts of the fashion industry as a whole.
3. NO EXTRA SHIPPING OR TAX DUTIES
Malls and airports have been inaccessible since lockdown began, depriving customers of the joy of physically shopping for luxury items. Though international fashion houses have significant online presence, ordering from them involves excessively high taxes and shipping duties. Further, the time of arrival can’t be specified unless ordered from the limited stock that India currently has. Buying a pre-loved item will save you the hassle of paying these extra duties, and your purchase is likely to reach much faster and safer than if it were being sent from abroad.
4. A LARGE SELECTION OF BRANDS IN ONE PLACE
The best part of browsing through pre-loved luxury online is the fun of comparing different items from different brands. You have access to several collections and high-end brands in one place, which will save you time and energy while deciding what to buy. With more than 500 Indian and worldwide luxury brands to choose from, including Burberry, Balenciaga, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Valentino, Dior, Chanel, Bottega Veneta, Hermes, Fendi and Prada among others, you will be spoilt for choice!
5. OPPORTUNITY TO SELL YOUR PRE-LOVED ITEMS
In the race to keep up with the latest fashion trends, you end up amassing many unwanted items in your closet, overfilling your storage space at home. You may not wear them anymore because trends have changed and everyone in your social circle has already seen you wearing them. However, having paid a hefty price for these luxury items, you may be unwilling to part with them simply by throwing away. The easiest solution to this problem is to sell your luxury fashion items and invest in other pre-loved luxury items instead. Your wardrobe and attire will feel new, your closet space won’t be spilling over and your bank balance won’t suffer in the process. You may even be the envy of your entire social circle!
If your main concern regarding pre-loved luxury is that products may not be authentic, then it’s best to choose a trusted source such as ReTag, where each item comes with its own Authenticity Certificate.
Keeping the above reasons in mind, investing in pre-loved luxury is definitely the way forward to save our hard-earned money as well as our planet.
The writer is a lawyer who pens lifestyle articles on her successful blog www.nooranandchawla.com. She can be found on Instagram @nooranandchawla.