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.

Vinted is brilliant for quality 80s labels going for a song - Jasper Conran and Nicole Farhi are two that spring to mind but there are loads.

Oh, I loved Nicole Fahri.

I loved Ghost in the 90s too. I had some beautiful bias cut skirts and dresses I so wish I’d kept.

Versa is a Spanish brand . I love Spanish brands they fit me so well.

Ben Sherman shirts , always in Debenhams. I was a cuff link wearer of Charles Trywitt , I used to go to their end of year sales usually in a big hall in Oundle. Laura Ashley pre 1995 so lovely I wanted a Laura Ashley wedding dress but too expensive in 1991.
My mum got her Buckingham Palace garden party dress in Canada at C and A. Their jumpers were brilliant.

This might shock some people, but Primark (Atmosphere) was actually often good quality in the 80s/early 90s. I shopped at the Hamilton store (apparently one of the first in the UK) and it was nothing like the Shein-esque tat now! The clothes lasted and fit well. It was comparable to C and A or Littlewoods, and there were some quirky styles. Early River Island, Etam, Debenhams own brand, Dorothy Perkins, all decent quality. Just remember that vanity sizing wasn't such a thing then.

Doesn't shock me.

I had an absolutely beautiful silk and angora jumper in pale grey from Primark in 1985. Lost it on a drunken night out to my eternal sorrow.

I’ve bought myself a couple of lovely Bravissimo dresses and their spin off Pepperberry off eBay recently

Nicole Farhi looks sumptuous.
Unfortunately there were no Primark stores near me until the quality had gone down, amazing to think there were angora and silk items.

The general fit was more consistent and quality was much better too. Even some of the shoes were good quality.

I bought a dress and two piece, Nicole Fahri, in the Liberty's sale. The weight of the fabric and cut was beautiful. I am going to add Joseph Janard and Albert Nipon labels alongside Marella to the list, all of which I bought from, although not cheap!

I had some gorgeous wool mix coats in the late 90s from Primark. I always regret giving them to the charity shop

Planet! Goodness, I loved Planet and have just bought a wool coat from Vinted. This thread might be very bad for me 😂

There was also that short period in time in the 2000s when Tesco did 100% cashmere for F+F! I still have a couple of cashmere items from there that have lasted really well.

Bizarre to think that 15-20 years ago you could get cashmere items in the supermarkets for peanuts (around £35 in Tesco). Everything was natural fibres. Now you can’t even find an actual wool anything for love nor money.

I still have some Tesco cashmere too.

Me too! It was decent quality too.

I had those cashmere jumpers for work. Just think, £35 for pure cashmere!

Yet fleece is worth almost nothing. Aren’t farmers almost having to pay to have the fleece taken away?

Whats going on? It’s a ridiculous state of affairs.

Just picked up a pair of fabulous Joseph jeans in a local charity shop - also Nicole Farhi trousers. Both under £10 - I think it’s because people have forgotten these brands.

Spotted a Clements Ribeiro dress there the other day. Benetton was also high quality - trying to remember the other brand beginning with S that was sold alongside Benetton in their shops?

There used to be so many shoe shops even on small High Streets - add Ravel, Lilly&Skinner, Curtis to your list. Are there less shoe shops now - as most clothing brands also sell shoes?

Sisley?

Brilliant - I couldn’t get that. Wonder if they are still going? I really likely their clothes.

Just remembered Freeman Hardy Willis

Still to be seen on the entry step to countless pound shops, charity shops and sandwich bars!

Not sure if still findable but Jaeger, the clothes they made before M&S acquired the brand (and destroyed it too). I still have stuff from 20 years ago.