Defunct/forgotten brands to buy secondhand

[flaks]

Most of my clothes and bags are thrifted and I recently discovered vinted. I wonder if there are brands that are particularly high quality that I am missing out on because I don't know what I am looking for. In particular I was thinking of brands that are gone (UK or abroad) that may not have been on my radar. I used to find obscure brands in charity shops but for online it would be nice to know to what search for.

I currently have a brown HoB coat for sale on Vinted. It was my mum's and is in excellent condition if anyone needs a size 16.

Agree re KM. I've a size 12 dress that won't even go over my head while I've restocked for this winter in size 10 from everywhere. I had a lovely pink boucle skirt from LKB. No idea where it went.

Designers at Debenhams were brilliant c2000. The DM used to do vouchers for 20 or 25% off. I remember coming home with bags full. A pair of cargos with an embroidered flower pattern on one leg were a huge favourite. I wore them out. I think they were John Rocha. I've still got a cream wool knee length skirt with an embroidered black flower. That's John Rocha.

Joseph trousers were fabulous. I had some charcoal flannel ones, lined and so well-cut.

Hennes before they were H&M.

Found a lovely Yessica (C&A) coat in a charity shop.

Agree with all the Next comments too. Early Next was reall good - found a mid 90s leather jacket the other week. Leather is really soft, and still looks new.

This is like a visit to a High Street long gone. We still have the brand 'names' just not the original companies and their clothing. I would shop sales for Windsmoor coats and blouses. Planet when very different to the label that disappeared, Mansfield, Scotch House for wonderful lambswool jumpers, the original Next and their South Molton Street shops had so much of my earnings for their wonderful tailoring (still have 3 made in England unusual long line blouses), Warehouse when Jeff Banks involved, Jigsaw, Jaeger, Penny Plain for the odd item, Racing Green, early Landsend, Grants shoes, labels from the Fenwicks ranges.... check label designs, fabric composition and where made, so Planet made in Hong Kong and not China.

Agree this is a trip down memory lane. Fenwicks! One of the last great department shops for women. So sophisticated back then.

Most of my work clothes in the 90's were Designers at Debenhams, I loved John Rocha especially!!!
I think I had those cargo pants as well

@Hoppinggreen I think I had them too, the flowers had a few sequins on them ? I loved the John Rocha tops as well, and the Jasper Conran bags, I had the large pink padlock bag and the small white one, they still have them for sale on EBay, the ones that are Birkin inspired.

Joseph was a brand I coveted, they used to sell it in Flannels before it was Mike Ashley-d.
Mexx was brilliant for workwear and quality basics.
Benetton did fantastic trousers. I had a dark grey wool drawstring waist pair I wish I’d kept. My mum used to pick up their stuff abroad.
My kids buy vintage Next bootleg jeans on Vinted.

And Shelley’s for shoes…

Gosh Mansfield! DM’s outfit for my 1987 wedding came from there, it was a beautiful suit with a peplum jacket in a soft jade green. She looked amazing.

Yes, they did!

Pied a Terre. I had a proper velvet strapless dress, not velour, from there. Great shoes too.

Has anyone mentioned Laura Ashley? They used to be beautifully made.

I’m wearing a navy T-shirt from John Rocha at Debenhams right now. It has a few tiny holes now but it is still the best T-shirt I’ve ever owned. It actually has some shape which it’s kept , has never faded. I probably wear it once a week.

@BestIsWest im trying to remember whose t shirts had the little cats on, I had several of them, in pink or turquoise. They were fitted, with cap sleeves and a crew neck and the cats were black velvet, placed on the chest, and wore little diamanté crowns and collars, they were very cute, does anyone remember them? They were in designers at Debenhams range. I think I still have one folded up as a ‘memento’ somewhere, possibly John Rocha

I’m not going to add anything because all of the brands have been mentioned already.

Quality was so much better in the 80s and 90s. We had two wonderful department stores in town. I used to love wandering around eyeing up all the decent brands. The quality was wonderful.

The closest I get to that now is stumbling across the odd item in the charity shop. I do recognise the decent brands though so I feel like I am always at an advantage.

I know we shouldn't quote ourselves but doing so for context.

The brand I was thinking of was Mondi. It was great.

Yes, I remember those! I think it was a different label from the Designers at Debenhams range. I miss Debenhams.

I had the bag in orange!

Weirdly I still have a skirt from new look from 1994!! Still going strong

@Hoppinggreen they were very well made bags, the give away of the period they were made is the size of the phone pocket inside it is tiny ! but having said that they don’t look dated at all.

@PullTheBricksDown I’m glad someone remembers them, they were available in three colours and possibly white, I had black, pink and turquoise I think I bought one every time I went In Debenhams. I have done a search but nothing is coming up.

This post brings back so many happy memories. I started my work as a new grad in 1992 and bought my favourite suit from French Connection (the one that used to be opposite Covent Garden tube). It was great quality and I got so much wear out of it. I still remember sashaying through the train on the way to my final job interview in London (I’m from the NW) in my lovely French Connection suit and feeling like I was the bee’s knees. Must have worked as I got the job.

I was also addicted to Next Directory in those first few years (it started in 1988). I was 18, just starting uni and was working part time as a waitress/bar person and blew all my money on Next Directory. I was a very well dressed student! 😂Their clothes and shoes were so good back then. Well cut, excellent quality, stylish. Things went downhill after George Davies left but those heady early days when Next was at its peak (and actually quite expensive) I remember well. So sad to see what it turned into.

@PullTheBricksDown ive just remembered (in the shower of all places)

Red Herring

Ah yes! Designers at Debenhams and those John Rocha cargo pants. 😍One of my friends sent this photo to me literally 2 weeks ago (I think it popped up on his facebook memories) and that’s me in the centre dressed head to toe in Designers at Debenhams in the mandatory John Rocha pants (with a sequinned waistband). We were in Vegas for a friend’s wedding and all the American guests thought I looked like a Spice Girl. 😂