Guide to Luxury Vintage Shopping in New York City
There are countless reasons why I love New York City…the electricity and grit, epic skylines, bridges, rooftop bars, scallion cream cheese and lox bagels to name but just a few…but the thing I love the most is the thrift, vintage and consignment boutiques scattered across the vast city. There is an integration of buying vintage within the mainstream shopping experience which rivals no other. It feels as if there’s a profound appreciation and respect for vintage fashion which places it alongside ‘traditional’ retail rather than considering it a fleeting trend or the occasional box-ticker, which feels so refreshing.
Below, I have listed my favourite luxury vintage and consignment stores that I discovered during my latest trip to New York in June, giving an indication of stock range, price and where to locate them:
TREASURES OF NYC CLUBHOUSE, Lower Manhattan, New York
Located on the second floor of an unassuming building, nestled in amongst some of the best designer streets in the city that house the likes of Loewe, Chanel and Versace, Treasures of NYC Clubhouse is one of the most beautifully curated and personalised vintage boutiques I have ever been to. Booked by appointment only, you’re able to roam freely and have the space all to yourself. The Clubhouse has been designed to look and feel like you’ve been given access to someone’s intimate wardrobe, encouraging its clients to feel fully immersed and like a child in a candy shop, choosing instead between original Gianni Versace, 90s Chanel, Dolce and Dior delights. The only thing to be aware of is, there are no prices on any of items so I would advise visitors to take their time. All prices are available on request and can range from anywhere around $200-300 up to $14,000 (yes, you may have spotted a lime green Hermes sitting serenely in the background). As with all vintage stores when I spot something I love, I always try to make sure to do my due diligence. Try to find out what era the piece is from, check the in-seams and inside pockets of handbags which often show wear and tear earliest, check for little stains of clothing and the quality of zippers. Having said that, the standard of product is so high at Treasures of NYC that you won’t need to worry too much!
I came home with a gorgeous pair of YSL high waisted white jeans, and a pair of Gianni Versace sunglasses (as seen below) that match the ‘boss’ energy of the city.
**Please note Treasures of NYC Clubhouse is by APPOINTMENT ONLY, and their appointment calendar opens one month in advanced, at the beginning of the month. You can book via their instagram, @treasuresofNYC.
Inside peek at the beautiful Treasures of NYC Clubhouse boutique
PILGRIM NEW YORK, 90 Orchard St, Lower East Side, New York
Located in the trendy Lower East Side and conveniently 2 mins walk from the Tenament Museum, Pilgrim New York is a smaller boutique with a edgier and more decorative selection of vintage jewellery, bags, dresses, printed silk shirts and a few interior pieces. The owner, a man who loves the English accent and of course, the Rolling Stones, was warm and welcoming with a clear knack for rock n roll grunge style. He had a good selection of contemporary brands like Christopher Kane, vintage Dolce & Gabanna ( infamously worn by Samantha Jones in SATC), Saint Lauren and Ghost.
One for a quick visit if you’re in the area as the Lower East Side has lots to offer, you’ll also find Lara Koleji Vintage, our next vintage store, located right next door.
Best dresses at Pilgrim, including the infamous Dolce giraffe dress!
LARA KOLEJI, 70 Orchard St, Lower East Side, New York
Lara Koleji had a slightly more elevated curation than Pilgrim, the space felt light and airy with a clean interior, although very similar in terms of size of the boutique. The collection reflected the interior in its simplicity, with simple designer dresses, camis, graphics tees, with both a women’s and men’s offering. There is also an eclectic mix of art and interior pieces available. I spotted Stella McCartney, Versace, Jill Sander, YSL and Fendi on my visit, but sadly didn’t take anything home!
Lara Koleji’s simple curation of neutrals
THE REAL REAL, 80 Wooster St, Lower Manhattan, New York
With several locations across the city, and a strong physical and online presence across the States, The Real Real may be one of the more of the well-known consignment stores. Due to the scale of the company, and the multiple stores scattered across the city, it could be argued that The Real Real lacks the character of other vintage shops. However looking on the more positive side, I like to think of The Real Real as paving the way for second-hand and consignment shopping to enter the mainstream shopping experience. Entering the beautifully curated shop, you immediately forget you are shopping second hand items. It feels luxurious, cleverly curated and indulgent, a far cry from the musty, granny smelling vintage stores of times gone by.
Accompanied by a friend who notoriously has a 30 minute limit when it comes to shopping, we roamed the store and both sourced pieces we loved. Mine, a pair of lime green Jacquemus linen high-waisted trousers, and hers, a beautiful sky blue silk Prada jacket. There was also a beautiful power lilac suit from Chanel that I just couldn’t resist trying on….
Generally speaking, you can expect items to be anywhere from 30-50% off the retail price. The deduction is listed on all their labels which no doubt acts as a little push when it comes to purchasing. When we visited, they were also offering a 25% discount which was a welcome surprise!
Additional Locations:
The Real Real, 870 Madison Avenue, New York
The Real Real, 53 W 36th St, New York
The beautiful and chic Real Real boutique on Wooster Street.
ON MY WISHLIST…
Although I was thrilled with the luxury vintage stores I came across, there were plenty more on my list that I simply couldn’t squeeze into a jam-packed trip so I thought I would share my wish-list below. As soon as I return to New York, I will hit these boutiques and be sure to add to our guide:
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND, 103 Wooster St, Lower Manhattan & 351 West Broadway, Soho
Founded in the early 90s, WGACA as it’s known, is a pioneer in vintage high fashion with particular attention to detail when it comes to generational changes in fashion times. Since then they have opened up additional locations in New York and Beverly Hills.
NEW YORK VINTAGE, 117 West 25th St, Chelsea
This incredible boutique looks like a window into the past, with Persian rugs on the floor, decorative gold mirrors, red velvet, feather trimmed hats and fur shawls, and beaded evening gowns dripping from every corner.
COLETTE’S CONSIGNMENT, 10 Main Street, Southampton
Collette’s Consignment and Colette’s Basement looks like an elevated, and beautifully curated consignment boutique but it looks like their locations are in the Hamptons, so ideally this would combine a couple of days at the beach to avoid the long commute!