The Sustainable Fashion Blueprint: Completing the Loop.

Alternatively, there are a number of second-hand boutiques that operate on consignment and, refine their items to the more upscale pieces and thus operate at a higher price bracket.

Vintage The vintage market has seen a revival in the twenty-first century. A consequence to the democratization of fashion is that buying a one-off piece that stands out from the rest is becoming harder and harder. Thus, celebrities and regular consumers alike are turning to vintage collections to boost their wardrobes in an original way.

Forging the way in 2001, Julia Roberts wore a vintage Valentino dress to the Oscars.

“Valentino said that Roberts brought the idea of giving a second airing to a classically beautiful ‘old’ dress into public consciousness” (Michault, 2004). In an article in the New York Times (Michault, 2004), Rita Watnick, founder and president of Lily et Cie vintage clothing, affirms: “A woman who wears a vintage dress is making a statement about being an individual. She is saying that it is O.K. to be different - and that is a great message to send out.”

Wearing vintage clothing goes beyond sourcing a unique dress for an event. Many consumers are integrating vintage into their entire wardrobes. Finding vintage shopping to be both a sustainable and economical way to create their own sense of fashion.