If I suggested that you could get your hands on Kate Moss' much-loved Yves Saint Laurent blazer for £280 or even that you could be the proud owner of Carey Mulligan's Prada gown, all while doing your bit for charity, you may think it all sounded a bit too good to be true. As we've been starved of good news so far this year, however, I'm pleased to tell you that this is exactly true of Vestiaire Collective's charity sale, in aid of Oxfam's Second Hand September campaign.
The annual initiative, now in just its second year, encourages us all to pledge to only buy second hand clothes for a month in order to try and stem the tide of fast fashion. This is not just a bid to help the planet, Oxfam is also concerned with the exploitation of those who actually make these clothes, often in unsafe conditions or for unfair wages. So far, we've seen Michaela Coel front the charity's actual campaign, while fashion stylist Bay Garnett has set up shop – literally – in Selfridges, running her very own second hand clothes store in between Balenciaga and Gucci.
Now, Vestiaire Collective is roping in celebrities to help, asking them to donate some of their pre-loved pieces to be sold on Vestiaire's websiteto raise money for Oxfam.
So, what can you actually buy? Well, there's the aforementioned pieces from Moss and Mulligan, as well as a pink Burberry trench chosen by Coel. There's also a Miu Miu skirt from Naomie Harris for £210 (soon to be seen reprising her role in the new James Bond film,No Time To Die), as well as an APC checked twinsuit from Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams. You will also find some impressive Charlotte Olympia heels, donated by Anna Dello Russo, a floral Rixo dress from Erin O'Connor, a Miu Miu dress from perennial cool girl Chloë Sevigny and an Isabel Marant yellow silk jumpsuit from the brilliant Thandie Newton.
Fee Gilfeather, Oxfam's sustainability expert says: 'While the pandemic has brought suffering and loss to many, it has also provided opportunities to break old habits and build a fairer and more sustainable future. We’re so grateful to the Vestiaire Collective for the support. By shopping second-hand, you’ll be helping Oxfam to beat poverty around the world, as well as saving the planet. You’ll be reinvesting in projects that include helping people to build livelihoods in places like Bangladesh – a country that has been largely affected by the economic fallout of the retail industry during this pandemic.'
Not only will you be contributing to a brilliant cause, you'll also be able to tell your friends exactly where your new jacket came from. 'What? This old thing? I got it from Kate. Moss.'