The Consumption Reincarnation

A number of goods loved by popular culture are not things of the future, but of the past.

While people are buying 60% more clothes in 2021 than they did 15 years ago, the second-hand market is currently growing four times faster than the primary market.

Thanks to the upscale effect, a large segment of consumers are looking to buy fewer items and of better quality –  in a constant search of rare finds below the market prices, made of materials that are no longer produced, echoing decades that will never return.

By dressing second-hand one cherishes the past by carrying onwards material artefacts, reflecting the spirits of the former owner and the nuances of the period’s culture.

Collectively these cycles of obtaining, using, and honoring items from one user to another form what I’ve coined the consumption reincarnation, a phenomenon that is reshaping the industry’s lifecycles and different consumer profile tastes.

For some of the more critical dressers, the epitome of successful styling is not slapping on the latest hyped items from Net-a-Porter’s “New In” section, but rather curating a look from one-off pieces which hold stories, symbolic value, and unmatched quality not feasible from new production.

Preloved items offer a unique set of value propositions where exclusivity, accessibility, and minimized environmental impact can coexist.

Courtesy of Sciuraglam on Instagram

I once bought a brandless and handmade beaver fur coat for 12 euros, one that a Milanese nonna would have worn on a cold November evening for a formal dinner in the 60s.

Fur is not for everyone, but a well-kept (unfarmed) fur coat is often a more sustainable option compared to a one-season puffer jacket or faux-fur garment that uses high levels of petroleum when produced and leaves behind micro-plastics.

Older isn’t always better and handmade isn’t always more durable, but until we have hyper-renewable textiles and carbon-neutral production methods, buying less and buying used is one of the most responsible ways of consuming at the moment.

The rise in the popularity of resale items has also been reflected in the increase in the number of online second-hand platforms. While digital marketplaces maximize affordability, selection availability, and item uniqueness, actual stores still have that something that hits the spot the way that cinemas and print magazines do.

Whether it’s from the secondary shopping-related pleasures like stopping for a coffee on the way, or simply getting out of the house for a purpose, Milan’s brick-and-mortars are well and alive and ready to serve those whose souls never left the 80s.

Sous Vintage Shop

In honor of nostalgia, re-interpretation of the past, and mindful consumption habits, see Milan’s best curated second-hand and vintage stores below – from bargain places to more upscale selections.

View them on Google Maps here.

Shops:

  1. Sous Vintage Shop

  2. Guendj

  3. Humana Vintage with three stores: Via Vigevano in Navigli, Via De Amicis in Sant’Ambrogio, and Via Cppellari in Duomo

  4. Alice in Vintage

  5. Lo Specchio di Alice

  6. Old Star Vintage

  7. Archetipo

  8. Cavalli e nastri in Via Mora with two separate stores for woman and man section on the same street, and another store in Brera

  9. Bivio with also a separate store dedicated to manswear only in Via Mora, and another store in Via Lambro

  10. Groupies Vintage

  11. Squad Milano

  12. Vesto Milano

  13. Napoleone Vintage

  14. The Cloister

  15. A.N.G.E.L.O (Section in Rinascente on the 4th floor)

  16. L’Arabesque (Entrance on the side of Via Francesco Sforza)

  17. Madame Pauline Vintage

  18. Urzi Vintage

  19. Surplus

  20. Sabrina Manin

  21. Orient Express

  22. Ambroeus Milano

  23. Room37

  24. Live in Vintage

  25. East Market Shop

  26. Indaco Second Hand

  27. 20134 Lambrate

Markets: 

  1. Remira Market (Bi-weekly)

  2. Chez Babette Garage Sale (Monthly)

  3. East Market (Monthly)

  4. Mercatone dell'Antiquariato sul Naviglio Grande (Every last Sunday of the month)

  5. Next Vintage (Annually)