Talking Circular Fashion & Vestiaire Collective

Today I want to share an outfit that I love as well as touch on circular fashion.

I shot these photos about a month ago now, on film with just 7 photos left on the roll. There is something so freeing yet considered about shooting on film. We don’t check the tiny digital camera screen for funny facial expressions, misbehaving fringes or untucked shirts, we trust that those precious few photos will deliver the goods. Luckily, this time, they all did.

I love this outfit. It came together so effortlessly and is exactly how I see my summer style this year - simple and monochrome with pops of colour. I love pairing white with white, or white with off-white. It instantly gives a fresh look - that is, until you spill something down yourself… The jeans are vintage Levi’s 501s and I paired them with this vintage tee with a twist. Dating from the 70s, it has a cool dagger collar and adorable colourful embroidery on the chest; a nice update from a classic white T-shirt.

I finished the look with earthy-toned accessories; my trusty Coach saddle bag, new-in Ray Ban square sunglasses and these Isabel Marant Etoile sandals. They are a new purchase from Vestiaire Collective - a luxury resale site that champions circular fashion. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term ‘circular fashion’, it is essentially about ensuring the fullest life span of any item. This doesn’t just mean re-selling your old, unwanted items. It starts with a brand designing and producing an item made with high quality materials and a sustainable and ethical manufacturing process. Once in the consumer’s hands, the item should be used for as long as possible through good care, repair and redesign and when it is just gathering dust in a wardrobe, it should be lent, swapped with friends, given to charity or sold on pre-owned websites like Vestiaire Collective. The final stage of circular fashion is when the item can no longer be rehomed or repaired, it should be given up for material recycling.

Back to the Isabel Marant sandals - they were like new and I bought them for less than half the original price. I don’t know whether their previous owner had received them as an unwanted gift or simply changed their mind but I’m happy they allowed the life cycle of the sandals to continue (or even start!) by selling them through Vestiaire Collective. They were exactly what I had been looking for - a chunky wood platform with tan leather straps, the perfect way to add a touch of seventies to a summer look.

What is great about Vestiaire is that all items are checked by their experts in Paris for authenticity and condition before being sent out so you can shop with peace of mind. I always go on Vestiaire when I am looking for a designer piece and I am regularly browsing their vintage sections for that Gucci bamboo crossbody or a pair of perfect Chanel ballet pumps.