Under-the-Radar Clothing Brands Worth Thrifting, Part II
The labels I always hunt for — plus the pieces worth bookmarking
I recently shared part one of the under-the-radar clothing brands I always keep an eye out for at thrift stores, and the response was immediate and surprising — you guys are actively looking for brands worth buying and I love that!
One of the best things about thrifting is that there is always another rabbit hole to go down. You buy a jacket because the cut is unusually good, and suddenly you’re researching a label you’ve never heard of before! A few searches later, and you find yourself saving eBay alerts and scanning every clothing rack at Goodwill for that same tag.
Most of the brands below are names I discovered exactly that way. Some are known to vintage collectors but certainly not household names. And some are expensive at high-end retailers but still fly under the radar at most thrift stores.
These are the pieces I stop and look at every time I find them.
And as promised, I will keep these coming (and have already started compiling lists of the jewelry and accessory brands worth hunting for).
Happy shopping!
xx,
VC
THE BRAND: Anne Klein (Donna Karan Era)
Why It’s Worth Thrifting:
Before she launched her own label and became one of the most influential American designers of the late twentieth century, Donna Karan worked for Anne Klein. She joined the company in the late 1960s, eventually becoming head designer and helping shape the brand’s aesthetic throughout the 1970s.
The result is that many vintage Anne Klein pieces from this era have a sophistication that feels surprisingly current, thanks to sharp tailoring and really high-quality fabrics (if you love early ‘90s-era Calvin Klein, you will likely feel inspired by the Donna Karan Anne Klein years, too). And unlike many designer labels from the same period, prices on the secondary market remain relatively reasonable. (It’s also a label that gets overlooked because people recognize the modern Anne Klein brand without realizing how different the brand’s earlier pieces were.)
I am particularly drawn to the suiting, outerwear (the blazers!), and silk separates.
What to Look For:
Wool blazers and skirt suits
Silk blouses
Camel hair and wool coats
Wide-leg trousers
Pieces labeled “Anne Klein II”
Search Terms:
“vintage Anne Klein II blazer”
“Donna Karan Anne Klein”
“Anne Klein silk blouse”
“vintage Anne Klein suit”
“Anne Klein wool coat”
Anyone can spot Dior or Armani on a clothing rack. The brands below require a little more digging. They’re the labels I learned to recognize through years of estate sales, thrift stores, and online searches—and the ones I still stop to inspect every time I find them.
