Shopping preloved designer fashion is close to our heart. Not only does it give each luxury piece a new lease of life, but it’s also a much more sustainable and accessible way for more people to shop and enjoy luxury fashion. Today, we’re taking a look at some of the best ways you can look after your designer clothing, shoes and handbags to make sure they retain their value as much as possible, making it easier for you to get a great price for them should you sell them on as preloved.
Keep Hold of Packaging, Receipts & Authentication Cards
When it comes to accessories, the value and instant authentication are hugely helped if you’ve held onto your original packaging. From the branded boxes or bags to the dustbags and even tissue paper that wraps the items, the more you can keep (and in a great condition) the more sellable your pieces will remain. In addition to this, holding onto proof of purchase and authentication documents helps increase trust among potential sellers and improve your chances of resale.
Isabel Marant $1480 Black Suede Guya Embroidered Ankle Boots 37 £195
Store in Dustbags
Don’t just keep hold of your packaging, actually use them to keep your accessories in good condition. Storing your handbags and shoes wrapped in their original dustbags keeps them from getting dusty or even scratched when being stored alongside your other accessories.
Pack Your Handbags When in Storage
Keeping your designer handbags in shape is made much easier if you pack them out with anything from tissue paper to towels to ensure they don’t end up with creases or folds. You can also do this with shoes to ensure they keep their shape. When packing for travelling, it’s good to get into the routine of packing your accessories out so that they don’t get squashed.
Anya Hindmarch Navy Patent Shoulderbag £155
Invest in Protective Leather and Suede Spray
It sounds so simple but it’s something that many shoppers forget to do. As soon as you make your purchase of a designer or luxury accessory, invest in a quality protective spray designed for the exact fabric on the item. This will greatly help to prevent unwanted marks or stains as well as water damage from the rain while in use.
Find A Shoe Smith
Find a shoe smith you can trust. Getting your designer heels resoled before they get too badly damaged keeps them looking brand new. A great shoe smith can also touch up any other wear and tear from regular use.
Visit A Handbag Spa
Ever heard of a Handbag spa? Also known as handbag clinics or restoration services, there are now companies that focus solely on the revival and restoration of your luxury leather accessories. Here, you can also repair other leather goods, such as jackets and trousers. These are often good places to find protective products that were designed and made for designer leather accessories.
Store Coats and Jackets in Garment Covers
Even clothing that is hung up inside a wardrobe can risk general wear and tear from rubbing against other pieces and particularly hardware from other items, such as buttons and zips. To help reduce this risk, store your designer items in garment bags to protect them while they’re not being worn.
Looking after your designer clothing and accessories ensures that when the times comes for something new, you can get back some of the money you invested into the item. Just storing your pieces well and keeping on top of general wear and tear helps to maintain the value of your fashion pieces and therefore, the potential price tag.
Care for your Knitwear
Don’t let your beautiful cashmere fall prey to moth damage. Ensure you take extra precaution to care for knitted pieces. Total Wardrobe Care offer many natural products from cedarwood to chrysanthemum to deter these pests from making a meal out of your knitwear. Store pieces appropriately during the winter months, make sure they are put away clean as moths prefer dirty clothing and take time to do a thorough clean of your wardrobe every now and then. If you do get a moth infestation, carefully inspect all clothing. Discard anything particularly damaged to avoid the spread of larvae and freeze pieces you are going to keep to kill off any remaining pests. Repair small holes sooner rather than later. Moths hate light and movement so a regularly used and cared for closet can remain a healthy one. Be sure to take stock of pieces no longer used and free up space by reselling to ensure your wardrobe stays manageable.
Madeleine Thompson Navy Chevron Cashmere Sweater S £95
Follow the Care Labels!
Care labels direct you on the best ways to launder and look after your items. Handwash knitwear and lay flat to dry to avoid pilling, shrinkage, machine damage and misshaping. Silk also responds better to handwashing or dry cleaning. You may think you are saving yourself time and money by throwing things in the wash but you may be doing more damage in the long run. For delicate pieces that can be machine-washed, invest in washing bags to protect them from other pieces that may inflict damage e.g. pieces with metal hardware like zips and studs. All these steps can prolong the life of a garment so that it remains in top condition.
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