The vintage fashion finds to invest in now, according to the catwalks

THOUGH THE LATEST catwalk season only wrapped up a month ago, you could easily be forgiven for assuming we were seeing snapshots from two decades prior. Scroll through the runway imagery, and a powerful sense of déjà vu washes over, with many collections evoking a familiar nostalgia.

Chloé’s popular Paddington bag, which was originally released by Phoebe Philo in 2005, was spotted in the crook of the arm of many of the models. John Galliano’s much-loved 2000 ‘J’adore Dior’ T-shirt made a triumphant return to the runway, while Miu Miu revived the bullet bra — a 1940s and Fifties favourite that was made famous again by Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier in the Nineties.

Yet, as Amy Bannerman, eBay’s pre-loved style director, points out, while these re-editions are guaranteed to be popular, it’s the originals that are even more enticing. Case in point: since February’s shows, eBay reports searches for ‘Chloe Paddington’ increased by 63 per cent, ‘Dior T-shirt’ searches are up by 60 per cent, and interest in ‘bullet bras’ has jumped 57 per cent.

Evidently, old classics are back, and the allure of vintage pieces has become even more popular. Although, actually getting your hands on these pieces is no longer all that easy. “There’s just a lot more competition now than there used to be,” shares stylist and vintage curator Gabriel Held, whose clients include Bella Hadid, Keke Palmer, Azealia Banks, and Paris Hilton, to name only a handful of famous faces.

The runway’s revival of vintage staples is sure to only exacerbate this frenzied demand. So, what should savvy shoppers actually be snapping up? We turned to three vintage sourcing experts for their insights into the pieces that are best to invest in now. The most prominent piece of advice: “If you’re looking to invest in vintage versions of some of these revived styles, your best bet is to spot the trend early,” says Hanushka Toni, founder of Sellier. “Resale value for the Chloé Paddington is still fairly low, for example, but it has started to rise and will likely skyrocket in the wake of the return to the runway.”

“We’re also sure to see classic Saint Laurent men’s suits and blousy Eighties-style leather jackets be popular too, as prices for these brand-new are increasing, while the pre-loved equivalents are a fraction of the price on the marketplace,” says Bannerman.

Held, meanwhile, developed a strategy of his own when first starting his personal vintage curation: investing in collections of recently departed creative directors, of which there are plenty right now: Johnathon Anderson’s Loewe, Donatella’s Versace, and Matthieu Blazy’s Bottega Veneta, to name only a few. Although, of course, iconic pieces will always prove particularly popular. “To this day, the Dior Trotter monogram logo pieces and similar items are the most requested,” he shares.

For those looking to make a wise investment, Held notes that now is a good time to purchase Phoebe Philo’s Chloé — not solely the Paddington bag — as the boho trend continues to rise on the current catwalks. He also highlights Eighties and Nineties Giorgio Armani as we witness a power suit boom, alongside many of the pieces worn by stylist Rachel Zoe’s clients in around 2007 — Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Cameron Diaz, and Mary-Kate and Ashely Olsen, to name but a few — emphasising the revival of the Indie Sleaze style.

Suffice to say, despite growing demand, there’s no short supply of vintage fashion inspiration, but there’s most certainly a race for the finite number of pre-loved finds. Above, we’ve listed a small handful of standouts to start your search. Or, of course, if you aren’t too committed to investing in an original, the re-editions offer an easy solution.

This article originally appeared on Harper’s BAZAAR UK.