During these economically though periods, everybody is trying to get the most with the smallest amount possible…. the same attitude is certainly to be observed with luxury brands. Before we enter the special sales or other promotional weeks, there are still lots of ideas on how to purchase a piece of luxury without feeling guilty.
A very simple way to find great items even for people who do not have much time to go shopping, is certainly the great Italian website yoox.com, a treasure box for luxury brands addicts. Among the collections you will find the socalled “overstock” of the houses as well as unsold pieces from previous collections. Of course, you have to spend some time on the site to compare, but the selection is so huge that you can find anything from very fashionable items to classic garments.
Here is an example: a huge choice of shirts where I fell in love with a lovely silk Dolce&Gabbana polka dot blouse, the price being very reasonable (around 250 EUR). I bought this piece also because it covers the hips and looks therefore great over a pencil skirt or slim trousers. And it looks very stylish with a suit where it adds a touch of softness.
Dolce&Gabbana blouse
If you are, like me, very demanding and looking for good fabrics and quality, then you might be interested to know that I recently bought a great pair of slim Gucci wool trousers from this same website. I got them for approximately the same price as the abovementioned blouse and they are just perfect and I love wearing them with my patent leather pumps or even kitten heels. As I have long legs, they were really long enough so that I even had to get them shortened by the specialist next door who does great alterationas. Again, this is an additional investment which is minimal and if the pieces do not fit, you are entitled to return them.
There is another place where I visit boutiques very regularly during my bargain shopping trips: the Rue d’Alésia in Paris is specializing in socalled “stocks”, ie. brands selling their unsold collections. One of my favourites there is Sonia Rykiel, a Parisian house which does fantastic quality and which is a family business run by Sonia Rykiel and her daughter: I like purchasing their fabulously tailored wool jackets as they go with any other separates and enhance every silhouette, I also bought a suit a few years ago which is still perfect (they still have their great jersey fabrics and sometimes even crepe…). Their main boutique also sell great shoes, bags and of course, their iconic sweaters.
Sonia Rykiels Emma bag: ladylike and chic (as seen in their “stock” boutique on rue d’Alésia).
When my daughter was younger, I purchased from the children collection, lovely garments such as tulle skirts and other nice dresses. Colours are either neutral (lots of black, but also beige, grey, violet and blue) or the legendary Rykiel stripes, an easy way to refresh an outfit with a striped shawl…and if you are looking for a very Parisian gift, they always have their funky little bags, for makeup or other purposes.
Rykiels gift selection
Whilst walking trough the rue d’Alésia, you will also see other boutiques selling overstock such as Georges Rech and Zapa, two French houses famous for their classic chic and high quality. The same street hosts some multi-label boutiques selling Gerard Darel, Kenzo and other brands specializing in men’s collections. Even though this district is visited (and inhabited) mostly by French people, rue d’Alésia has become slightly more touristy during the past years and seems to attract American as well as Russian ladies.
