CONSCIOUS COUTURE SHOWING LOVE FOR PRELOVED

HOW HAVE SUSTAINABLE FASHION PRACTICES INFLUENCED YOUR WARDROBES? HELLO! ASKS THREE WOMEN IN THE GENTLY USED LUXURY BUSINESS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES

- SONAL NERURKAR

SHOPPING FOR A STORY

GABRIELLA DEMETRIADES

Eight years ago, Gabriella Demetriades stepped into a store in New York and was absolutely mesmerised by its beautiful interiors and curated collection featuring designer brands like Celine, Chanel and Gucci. The store was The RealReal, specialising in luxury resale and consignment with both online and physical locations. It was Gabriella’s first encounter with preloved luxury presented in a professional, retail-friendly manner. Reflecting on the experience, she laughs, “I remember buying these Chanel flats and thinking, wow, I’m never shopping at a regular store again.”

The model and entrepreneur has been a dedicated thrifter long before venturing into the business. Following the New York experience, she has also been avidly shopping for designer preloved items. “I love shopping vintage and preloved because I feel like each piece has a story. Maybe there are only a few of us in the world with this ’80s leather jacket,” she explains. The initial push towards thrifting and vintage stores came from her mother, who encouraged a young Gabriella to find really cool unique pieces over mass fashion. “I didn’t realise at that point that this was conscious and environmentally friendly, but I guess I was doing it from a young age, unconsciously,” she explains.

Growing up in a small South African town, she saw brands like Guess, Diesel and Gap as luxury. Her passion for fashion, which later paved the way for a career in modelling, flourished during her teenage years. Her exposure to luxury brands expanded as she started buying the European and British editions of