Are you guilty of rooting through your mom‘s or auntie´s closet to find voguish accessories? Hoping to find something comparable to the young Paris Hilton’s wardrobe circa 2003 to 2007, when the blonde heiress was the star of the reality TV show The Simple Life?

Celebrities on the red carpet and famous TikTokers are rightly thrilled by this fashion movement. So are teenagers all around the world. Exciting designs and colours are certainly part of why many are attracted to the pieces, which the iconic Paris and best friend Nicole Richie- who was also on the show dressed up for every occasion, working in a farm or even for internships in New York. 

Yet, sustainability also plays an important role for those adopting the fashion. Sustainability is a buzz word that has recently become hard to evade in the fashion industry. Singers to supermodels, as well as influencers and actors, have all embarked on their own unique journeys towards sustainability. Yet vintage doesn´t always mean a bargain, which makes it hard for us to follow the celebrities. And buyers need to be aware of what they hold in their hands and should ensure that they are buying the real deal.  

P!nk or Britney Spears’ Noughties popstar outfits, along with what models like Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista presented on the Chanel and Dior catwalk in the 1990s and 2000s, are now being revived by a new generation of celebrities, bloggers and young people. Vintage Louis Vuitton bags and Chanel sunglasses are especially sought-after, but Dior tops, trousers and dresses are also popular, leading to a higher price point. 

Celebrities are certainly a factor which trigger the youth to buy vintage pieces. Bella Hadid, Kylie Jenner and actress Bella Thorne are known to spice up their outfits with vintage. Kylie enjoys stocking up on vintage monogram looks, such as with a bubblegum pink Dior Jacket and matching boots or a magenta Chanel logo velour tennis dress, which according to the Instagram page “@kyliejennercloset” was sold for 1,490$ on Treasures of NYC.

Hadid´s vintage style may also be fabulous, but the extremely rare items worn by her might be difficult for most to emulate, as one of the Dior dresses by John Galliano she once wore can also be found on the 1st Dibs website for 8,399€, as well as a Vivienne Westwood corset which is in the same price range. 

If it seems unattainably pricey, why do people still persevere in following their favourite celebs? The feeling of uniqueness succeeds. In the end, it´s what makes vintage shopping special. In this day and age, the youth is all about being different. Generally, the trend is not to follow the trend. Swedish Victoria´s Secret Model Elsa Hosk, whose Instagram biography contains the words “be unique”, indicates her clothing choice at first glance.

In an interview with Harper´s Bazaar, she comments on her personal style, saying it´s sort of a mix-match between vintage designers. She loves fashion so she is always into new things, she isn´t necessarily a trend-driven person and likes to do her own thing. She also added that some of her favourite shops are actually vintage stores all around the world.

Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner are three extremely relevant names in the media and the fashion world. All three are vintage designer lovers and it appears that each have been adopting this direction from each other in chronological order.

These three personalities are in particular devoted to one designer from the early 2000´s, but many others are as well, considering that there are even Instagram accounts created for him depicting his time at Dior. John Galliano was an outstanding creative talent, and Hilton used to be seen with Galliano´s bags and sunglasses. Today, Kylie nods to Galliano with her pink Dior jacket. Galliano´s implementations- seen in his recognizable prints as well as designs he used- were so popular, they are still worn by a new generation today: one which doesn´t have first-hand experience of this iconic British designer´s reign. Fashion critic Colin McDowell once described the designer´s work to Vogue, declaring that one of the wonderful things he has done at Dior was to combine the vitality of the street and the urban underbelly with the excitement of the pop world, bringing them together with a touch of couture.

His creative inventions at the French fashion house, such as the denim monogram or the saddle bag design, are still an inspiration today for the contemporary designers at the French Maison. 

“Say So” singer Doja Cat prefers to step it up to another level with her vintage style for this year’s Grammy awards. Her outfit included standout green and black feathers along the bottom, as well as a cream, nude and black coloured leather zipper top, which contained a gigantic cutout. These styles were presented by Roberto Cavalli in 2003 as individual pieces before and are quintessentially noughties. She commented on her appearance to the television program “E!” saying she thinks her outfit is kind of ‘out there’.

Nevertheless, the feather inspired look also bears marked similarities with the actress Raquel Welch´s performance of the songs “Aquarius” and “Let The Sunshine In” in Mexico to endorse the Olympics in 1968, which denotes how fashion repeats itself across many decades. In this video, she was accompanied by men with orange and green colored Mexican feathered headdresses.

Some rare pieces worn by the famous are no longer in production, making them out of reach for most teenagers. They look for online bargains instead. These tend to be basic articles which were generally mass-produced and therefore of lower value. Yet this sustainable way of shopping is good for the planet, with consumers realizing that fast fashion is no long-term solution as it has a negative impact on the Earth, according to Earth Org. 

Nevertheless, shopping designer vintage also has its disadvantages. Sure, surfing the internet may seem like the most convenient option for most young people looking for vintage pieces. Fashion lecturer and textile expert, Theresa Clark, reminded us how browsing in vintage stores to find that perfect piece can not only be very time-consuming but they sometimes do not have the nicest smell when you enter!  There are other risks involved. As intriguing as it would be to own one of the genuine vintage and original past designer pieces, it is hard to be entirely certain of what you are getting. While some sellers prefer not to ask questions about the authenticity of the items they source, some sellers are truly unaware that they are selling fakes.

Buying vintage, especially designer pieces, can often turn into a gamble if you are not informed by people who know the real value of garments or not conscious of how careful you need to be. Stitching, prints and serial numbers are all factors which can influence and contribute to the authenticity of a piece. 

Counterfeit fashion is a huge industry. According to Forbes, there are many fakes being sold on the market and even a famous resale luxury company as “The RealReal”, which advertises its authentication of every item they sell, has faced authentication issues. On e-commerce pages, the buying experience can transform into a critical situation, particularly where fundamentally any individual can upload and trade products. 

Depop and Vestiaire Collective are popular amongst younger users. If the buyer is ready to invest a certain amount of time and inspects the pages properly, the real deal can be found. Alternatively, “What goes around comes around NYC” and “Treasure of NYC” are professional shops that concentrate on actual vintage designers and trusted by many celebrities. Although mistakes regarding authenticity occur, it is just as much about how the sellers handle the overall situation. Professionalism means treating difficult situations with apologies and returns.

Realizing young people and influencers are taking over these earlier designs seems to be the rationale for this turning into a global movement. The adoption of vintage fashion has been a full success, also in wider circles than Dior, as re-editions are also being created by Prada- referring to the year 2005- by reproducing -and designing early-2000s bags in the present day. 

Even if “real” vintage hunting is not for everyone, converting or re-editions happen to be the ideal solution when vintage style is what you are looking for but want to spend your money on an honest product. TikTok star Charlie D´Amelio, who has been spotted with one of the Prada bag recreations in thulian pink, is also erring on the side of caution. 

Although it´s unlikely for most of us to be able to copy one of the Dior dresses Hadid wore anytime soon, there are ways around this to achieve vintage style on a tighter budget. 

The You Tube channel and online page “The Converted Closet”, where pre-loved clothes are transformed into lovable and stylish pieces is one up-cycling option. It is a sustainable and accessible way to dress vintage for each size and individual. Originally, the blog was founded by Kate McGuire and her videos can provide everyone who wants to try it out with inspiration. 

Everyone has a right to display individualism in fashion and channel their inner Paris Hilton. The combination of being environmentally friendly, fashionable and finding a bargain should be viewed positively. Ultimately, nothing can beat the satisfaction of owning an exceptional Noughties piece whilst being sustainable at the same time. You never know by saving special garments today your future children (or grandchildren) can grab something stylish from your closet and call it vintage!