Gogo is always well dressed. His outfits are incredibly creative and uniquely him.

Here, Gaultier shares his thoughts on developing personal style, the future of secondhand and his very best vintage finds.

Embracing style trial and errors

Clothing is a powerful way to express oneself. It took me 15 years to discover what I truly enjoy wearing.

When someone has a unique style, they don't appear to be in costume; they simply look like themselves.

Living in New York for a few years significantly influenced my style. In Paris, people tend to judge more, and bold fashion choices are less expected. But in New York, you can step out of your comfort zone and experiment—it’s accepted.

Making a look “sophisticated”

I approach sophistication in fashion in two ways.

The first is more traditional: having chic pieces. For example, I love to wear a sportswear outfit with a pair of loafers. I always include at least one chic accessory, like a bag or glasses, to elevate my look.

The second type is more subtle: it’s when you can see that someone has thoughtfully and playfully selected and combined the right pieces for an outfit, and everything fits perfectly.

How secondhand drives personal style

The two best things about buying secondhand:

1. It’s unique: you’re the only one that owns it, and it immediately gives your style something different.

2. It’s a testimony of time: the cuts, materials and proportions are from another era. By wearing it today, you can make it current again.

The entire thought process behind shopping secondhand makes any outfit more interesting because it didn’t just happen, it’s intentional.

The boom of secondhand fashion

In the last decade, we’ve seen the rise and now the slow down of “luxury premium” fashion brands (e.g. Sandro, Maje). Economic instability and growing sustainability awareness are changing how we shop.

In parallel, secondhand fashion is exploding.

Thrifting used to mean searching through piles of clothes at flea markets. Then, online platforms like eBay and Vinted made it easier to dig through our phones.

Now, new businesses like Cent Neuf are transforming the secondhand retail experience with curated selections. Even mainstream brands are starting to offer their own items secondhand.

What still holds people back

Habits are changing, but some still view secondhand clothes as trash rather than treasure. Not everyone is vintage-savvy or enjoys searching for clothes.

At Cent Neuf, we tackle these challenges by professionally dry-cleaning all our clothes and curating collections with similar items in all sizes. Our goal is to make secondhand shopping feel like a firsthand experience.

In the end, I believe secondhand fashion will beat firsthand when their retail experiences are as premium.

Tip to start shopping secondhand

As a new secondhand shopper, avoid starting at big thrift stores if they don't appeal to you. Instead, visit vintage concept stores or designer luxury shops. You'll discover unique gems more easily, and you might be surprised by how affordable they can be.

Editor’s note: Parisians, check out my list of top places to shop secondhand in Paris (including Cent Neuf, of course)!

trouvé

where to shop secondhand in Paris

Bonjour! This week, we’re talking thrifting in the one, the only ✨Paris✨…

Read more

a year ago · 54 likes · 10 comments · Laure Albouy

Most treasured vintage finds

So many! My big discovery of secondhand happened in New York at Beacon’s Closet. I would go religiously every weekend, spending 1-2 hours looking around.

The prices range from $35 to $250 dollars. Once, I spotted pants with an aubusson print and immediately recognized them from Dries Van Noten’s current collection. They were literally for sale at Barneys but I scored them from $80. Insane!

Just last year at Beacon’s Closet, I found a satin lapel overcoat from Phoebe Philo’s Céline collection for $100—again, crazy!

Another great find is from Tamago, a store in Amsterdam owned by Christine (who is so lovely, shoutout to her!). Back in 2018, I found Dior pants from the John Galliano era, laced all the way to the side of the leg and with a double-belt on the butt.

Thank you, secondhand 🫶

Merci Gaultier—I learned so much about secondhand and always love hearing your hot takes on personal style.

Follow Cent Neuf on Instagram, and if you’re in Paris go say hi. Their selection is always impeccable and it really does feel like a “regular” retail experience.

Till next time!

— Laure

trouvé

the art of thrifting: how artist Sandy van Helden shops vintage

Hi everyone! This week, we have our first guest on trouvé…

Read more

a year ago · 35 likes · 4 comments · Laure Albouy

trouvé

our grandmas are the true fashion queens

When my big sis tipped me this brilliant post idea, I immediately started asking around…

Read more

a year ago · 25 likes · 10 comments · Laure Albouy

The replies were so heartfelt. Through clothing, our grandmothers are right there with us: whether it’s for important events of our lives, or the simple, mundane, day-to-day.

So this week, no links or tips. Instead, a pause to celebrate the irreplaceable pieces in our closets and the incredible women we link them to 💖

— Mamie Annie

My grandma was famous for her beauty and style, rocking leopard print and glitter like no other. She always dressed as if the world was her runway... even her house slippers had heels.

Half of my nicest pieces come from her closet (and the other half from my mom’s, this apple never thrifts too far from the tree).

Some of my favorite pieces are a leather & fabric hat, a wool & leather perfecto (‘you take it, I bought it for myself but it feels a little too ‘young’ for me’), a white see-through dress shirt with a big retro collar, and a Dior leopard print crop top (I kid you not).

After my grandma died, her walk-in closet was sanctuarized, left as she left it. My cousins, aunts and I go in there from time to time and borrow clothes.

When I came back to Europe after a few years in warmer climates, I locked myself into the tight space of her closet, filled to the ceiling with colorful fabrics. Surrounded by her smell, I told grandma all about the new job and moving back. So she gave me a few colorful sweaters that would look nice for the office, including this orange one that I wear almost daily in the winter.

— Gaga

Learned from grandmother and my mother both, I’ve always known ‘style’ to be something you own. Not dependent on age, trends, seasons, how many or few items are in your closet, etc.—it’s just a thing that inherently belongs to you.

My grandmother, Gaga, died somewhat suddenly last July. Her closet and dresser drawers are still, for the most part, just as she left them—several small plastic bins filled with watches (her watch collection must be 100+), little felt bags and cardboard boxes of costume jewelry, and racks of clothing.

Every day, I wear some combination of the same accessories: a lizard skin mechanical watch, a small diamond ring, a tortoiseshell ring, and a little gold signet bracelet. Each item except the bracelet originally belonged to my grandmother—I bought the bracelet for myself and had it engraved with ‘Frances,’ our shared middle name, after she passed.

Two winters ago, my grandmother shipped me a long, houndstooth wool coat of hers. It has accompanied me to parties, drinks with girlfriends, dinners, and many treks across the city. Slipping on the rings, watch, and bracelet is some little unconscious ode to my grandmother.

When I see my sister wearing a different set of rings that belonged to her, or my mom wearing one of her tops or coats or shoes, I think of it like some silent song for her that carries on throughout our days.

— Mamounette

My Mom’s mom, Adeline, known to us as Mamounette, was a fashionable independent woman who always wore her hair pinned back with two big comb barrettes, one on each side. My outspoken grandma was from the south of France and grew up in Marseille in the 30 & 40s, but spent the rest of her life in Paris, working as a dentist.

I inherited some beloved pieces from her, including two rings that were likely from her mother or aunts, which I wear daily.

Here I am wearing her classic cotton striped shirt, that still has small padding in the shoulders. She was taller and broader than me, so I wear it as an oversized piece. It also served me well in pregnancy and breastfeeding days.

On my November wedding day, I hadn’t planned anything to wear over my outfit. Luckily, my mom thought to bring an over the shoulder mink shawl from my grandmother, something she would take out on special occasions. This is not something I would usually wear, but felt special, and was nice and warm over my shoulders while still showing my outfit.

Juliette — Granny (Gram, Bon Papa, Grand-Père)

As long as I can remember, Granny has always been chic, always with a red lip and red nails. Rain or shine, Sunday mass or gardening, she always manages to wear appropriate yet classy clothing.

I try to emulate her timeless sense of style as much as I can, but I still sometimes wear outfits that I know she wouldn’t approve of (hello big chunky platform boots and extra piercings) because I also need some Juliette in there.

Pictured above from left to right:

• Wonderful dress for weddings, I also love it for its pockets!!!

• SUPER cool blazer but had to yield to a sister because I was ‘hoarding’ Granny’s cool clothes. I miss it.

• One of my favorite dresses I have gotten from Granny, so light, colorful and fun.

I also treasure sweaters from my grandfathers, Bon-Papa et Grand-Père. Some are a bit stretched out in some places and hole-y but I have some mending projects for it that I’m looking forward to try out!

— Grany

Grany was incredibly stylish. At age 89, she wore converse and replaced the laces with colorful ribbons. She had flowy dresses that she accessorized with long necklaces. She never missed an occasion to have fun with her wardrobe and pulled off just about anything because of her innate class.

When she passed, I inherited this Burberry jacket. The cut is impeccable and the color timeless. The sleeves can be removed for lighter weather. She added a small fish pin to it. There were a few spare coins in the pocket when I got it. I have not had the heart to empty the pockets yet.

The jacket smells like her cosy home. I miss her so much.

Laure & Juliette — Mamichèle

After Mamichèle passed, her granddaughters reunited in her home and spent hours looking through her closet. It was strange and sad to be there without her, but we kept thinking: she must be loving this from wherever she is.

Says Laure: Mamichèle was very coquette, never seen leaving her house without a chapeau. She raised 3 boys and was rewarded with 8 granddaughters. She loved noticing our outfits and always told us we were the most beautiful.

Above, Mamichèle in one of her many berets, and in her (or was it ours?) favorite cherry sweater 🍒 In her closet, I found a denim midi skirt and a brown corduroy blazer. They’re casual items that are easy to wear and feel extra special to me.

Says Juliette: I’m always cold in winter. But this brown coat I found in Mamichèle’s closet now keeps me extra warm. Plus, I feel like I bring her along with me every day during the colder winter months.

I loved all these sweet stories, and now I’d love to hear: what are the gems you’ve inherited from your grandmothers?

Thank you to all our wonderful grandmas, we love you so much 💖💖💖

— Laure

I’m excited to feature some of my favorite people and greatest inspirations to hear about their approach to secondhand fashion, personal style and more 🔮

And who better to kick us off with than the endlessly cool Sandy van Helden?

Sandy is an Amsterdam-based illustrator with impeccable taste (in fashion, furniture, art—you name it!), a secondhand maestro, and a dear friend.

You can find her on Instagram where she shares her beautiful work, like her live illustrations for Gucci and 100m² (!!) mural in Amsterdam’s newest Uniqlo store.

Today, Sandy takes the trouvé mic to share online secondhand shopping advice, her recent Vinted finds, most treasured vintage gem and favorite thrift spots in Amsterdam.

The joy of finding hidden gems

My father is a huge fan of vintage markets, so I really grew up around them. But my love for secondhand shopping truly flourished when I started going to art school in Rotterdam.

Every Tuesday, there was a big vintage market on the square in front of the school. As soon as lunch break rolled around, we’d make a beeline for the market, eager to dig through stalls for hidden gems.

More often than not, we’d end up running back to class, arriving way too late with bags full of vintage goods.

Starting specific when thrifting online

If your algorithm isn’t trained yet, it can be overwhelming to just browse and hope to find something you love amidst all the chaos.

1. Start by searching for a very specific item and narrow it down to a few brands that you’ve always liked.

2. I like to search for these brands: Moschino, Sarah Pacini, Max Mara, La Perla, Hennes Collection, Marni, Diesel, Wolford, Versace Versus.

Most treasured vintage find

I absolutely love my Versace A-line dress from the 90s. It had never been worn and still had the original tags on when I found it on Vinted. It was a bit pricier than what I usually go for on the platform, but totally worth it.

The piece is truly one of a kind. It’s my favorite wedding outfit!

In Sandy’s Vinted favorites

Peaking into my friend’s Vinted favorites is like seeing their wishlist or imaginary closet, I love it! 🌝

1. Beige wool cardigan, Max Mara, S/36, 60€

2. Camel linen short pants, Sarah Pacini, S/36, 10€

3. Black summer dress, Moschino, S/36, 35€

4. Flowery sleeveless top, Marni, S/36, 70€

5. Canvas sneakers, Warrior, size 39, 20€

Thrifting in Amsterdam

I’ve noticed that since Vinted became popular, the overall quality in thrift stores and markets has gone down. These days, most vintage shops focus heavily on curation—which is great—but it’s become much harder to score a good deal.

That said, there’s one place in Amsterdam that still offers excellent quality at fair prices: it’s called BIS! and specializes in fashion from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. I always go there for cashmere sweaters and silk dress shirts.

If you’re looking for more curated spots, you should visit Tamago, Laan, Nhògirl or Archive 1906.

Dank je wel, Sandy, you’re the best!

How do you like these guest posts? I can’t wait to feature more of my favorite people!

And do yourself a favor: add beauty to your Instagram feed by following Sandy 🩷❤️

— Laure