Under-the-Radar Clothing Brands Worth Thrifting
The extremely well-made labels probably sitting on the racks at your local Goodwill
We are, very clearly, in what I’ve been calling a Thrifting Golden Age—driven in large part by people downsizing and donating wardrobes that were built over decades.
And unlike what you’ll find in stores today (i.e. lots of polyblend and unnatural fibers!), a lot of those clothes were made with real materials: silk, linen, wool. They were designed to last. And they have, because many are in great condition, all these decades later, at your local Goodwill!
But a lot of people thrift by brand recognition and don’t necessarily discover new-to-them brands because they are looking for the obvious: Armani, Valentino, Dior, etc.
So they skip right past the more niche brands and designers, including some that used incredible shapes and materials and maybe no longer exist anymore (brands that are very much iykyk).
These are so many under-the-rader labels I look for and I learned about all of them from thrifting! And that is one of my favorite things about shopping vintage: the discovery. I have uncovered so many artists, makers, clothing brands that I never would have otherwise.
Let me be clear: these are not necessarily brands I buy for resell (I buy clothes for myself) but brands I buy because they wear and look like high-end designer—and they’re still widely overlooked.
This is the first in a series of under-the-radar brands I search online and buy just about every time I see them (because these are pieces that consistently look far more expensive than they are, and that most people still walk right past).
I’ll round up these brands once per month — if you want the list when it goes live, make sure you’re subscribed!
