Discovering rare Chanel collection 'like finding oil'

A VERY rare Chanel collection has been discovered in a Northumberland town.

- KRISTY DAWSON

Sophie Cabourn, 37, and her partner Thomas Smith, 37, run RE:BOURN, which specialises in rare vintage and pre-loved designer clothing.

The couple, who live in Heaton, Newcastle, began operating with popup shops on Tyneside. They now plan to open their first store in Ouseburn in April and have launched an online website.

While holding an event at ‘The Biscuit Factory, Sophie was approached by a lady in her 50s from Cramlington who said she had some Chanel pieces.

She arranged to visit her home and was blown away by her collection of more than 50 items.

Sophie said: “I got approached by a really glamorous lady who said: ‘I have got some Chanel pieces. I don’t know if you would be interested?’ I said ‘Yeah, absolutely, we'll come and have a look:

“We went up to Cramlington, which is where she lives, to meet her and my jaw hit the floor! I said ‘This isn’t just a collection, this is pieces that Chanel themselves might not have in their archive’

“There are pieces from Karl Lagerfeld’s very first runway collection, which are super rare. There's so much from the 80s and 90s which would have been made in a little French atelier.