how to find incredible secondhand deals on designer pieces

it all begins with sub brands

Mar 21, 2025

Coucou everyone!

First, thank you 🫶

Many of you have told me you bought a piece I shared, and are now feeling inspired to use Vinted more. Your comments are so motivating! It’s already trouvé #5 and there are many more coming (I currently have 8 working drafts!).

So let’s get right into it—had lots of fun with this one 🔮

Finding affordable, designer items is kinda the ultimate Vinted hack.
But it’s a bit messy: there are so many dupes, it’s sometimes just not affordable.

💎 That’s why today I’m sharing my trick to find gems from the likes of Versace, Moschino, Prada, Armani and more.

Like this 34€ (!) sub brand Versace cardigan I've been wearing on repeat

Because trouvé isn’t about splurging on expensive designer items. It’s about timeless, fun, pieces at fair prices (whether from higher end brands or not). Amirite? 🙃

🔎 The trick: look for discontinued, luxury sub brands

Let me explain…

First, what’s a sub brand?

A sub brand is a secondary line by high-end fashion houses. They sell items at lower prices but with the same aesthetic as the main brand (e.g.: Prada’s Miu Miu and Maison Margiela’s MM6).

But of course, “lower prices” doesn’t exactly mean affordable in the world of luxury. Hence my next point.

Second, why discontinued?

The sub brands not existing anymore means 3 things:

they’re from the 80s, 90s, 00s (which, as we’ve already covered, were great fashion decades)
there are very high chances they’ve been bought & resold many times already, making them instantly more affordable
a much lower chance of dupes. Why would anyone bother creating a fake tag for a more niche sub brand that no longer exists? I also read online that most luxury dupes are replicas from current collections.

What to expect

While there will definitely be some “harder to wear” pieces in these searches, you’ll also find great everyday items: a striped shirt, a blue sweater, a nice skirt.

But they’ll have that little extra detail that makes it unique. ❇️

Fighting the dupes (you never know)

Good to know for pricier designer finds: Vinted offers item verification for 10€ per item. The item is checked by trained experts before being sent to you.

Look for the gem icon. Also, how cool is this Prada set?

Discontinued sub brands to search for

I discovered most of these during some deep Vinted rabbit holes 🕳️🐇🕳️ (might write about those one day?!).

Fendissime by Fendi - discontinued early 2000s
Great if you love fashion from the late 1980s and 1990s.
Kenzo Jungle - discontinued early 2000s
Try this one for bolder and adventurous fashion from that era.
Calvin Klein CK - discontinued in 2003
For sleek, minimalist 90s fashion.
Thomas Burberry - discontinued in 2009
This “heritage” line was primarily active in 2000s. Lots of timeless, classic pieces.
D&G - discontinued in 2011
A sub brand with big y2k energy, if that’s what you’re looking for.
Saint Laurent Rive Gauche - discontinued in 2012
Active from the 1960s, so you’ll find beautiful pieces from all eras. A bit pricier.
Moschino Cheap & Chic - discontinued in 2014
Reached its peak during 90s and 00s with fun, quirky pieces.
Armani Collezioni - discontinued in 2017
Looking for a nice two-piece suit? This is a great place to start.
Armani Jeans - discontinued in 2017
A great place to look for y2k denim.
Versace Versus - discontinued in 2018
Original pieces that are either too out there or just the right amount of out there.
Versace Collection - discontinued in 2018
The more toned down big sis of Versace Versus (& where my cardigan is from).

Train your algorithm

This goes for all the tips I share: tell Vinted what you like! Save your searches, filter on your sizes, favorite items you like, repeat 🔁

Also quick note: I don’t actually filter my saved searches on the brand, I just type the brand into the search bar, filter by size and hit enter. I’ve noticed you see broader results this way.

5 items I found this week using this process

Featuring items I found with my saved searches above 🔮

Light pink shirt — Thomas Burberry

Pink shirts always make me think of my favorite person to follow on Instagram, Sophie Fontanel. She’s always rocking shirts, and is never afraid to wear pink 🌸

Size: S/36
Price: 8€

Link to Vinted

Sleeveless vest — Fendissime

I love the sporty look. My grandmother had a similar one that she’d wear with a simple long sleeve, loose pants and her classic long necklaces. She looked so cool!

(Her vest is now in my closet ❤️)

Size: XS/34
Price: 40€

Link to Vinted

Pant suit — Armani Collezioni

Pant suits don’t have to be all work and no fun. They’re actually great alternatives to dresses on special occasions. Why I love this one: the orange stripes, and the combo of looser pants with a more fitted, feminine, jacket.

Size: M/38
Price: 55€

Link to Vinted

Leather skirt — Kenzo Jungle

The stitching in the front and the side white bands are details that (I think) make it worth digging through Vinted for these brands!

Price: 45€
Size: M/38

Link to Vinted

Wool jacket — Moschino Cheap and Chic

Even with Spring officially here, I couldn’t resist sharing a jacket this week. Especially because: how fun is the green lining on this one?

Price: 40€
Size: M/38

Link to Vinted

Bonus: White button-down top — Versace Jeans Couture

This Versace sub brand isn’t discontinued but found this one by searching “Versus Versace”.

Plus it’s great proof to end on: you can find nice, simple pieces to wear on repeat with these searches.

Size: M/38
Price: 32€

Link to Vinted

I’d love to hear what you think! What are sub brands I totally forgot to feature? How do you approach buying secondhand designer clothing? What’s your best find?

Thanks for being here, and see you next week :)

— Laure

ps: if you enjoyed this post, I’d be so grateful if you shared it with a friend who might enjoy it too 🫶