Five Curated Second-Hand Stores in Aotearoa New Zealand

Our styles are ever changing as we grow older and our personalities flourish, the concept of buying and selling second hand is something I apply to my own wardrobe as I constantly try new things to find the style that reflects me. Buying second hand draws the attention away from mass consumption and re-frames shopping to be focused on personal style, there is more room to play and push the boundaries of your own closet and there’s also something so special in discovering a treasure that is one of a kind.

Think about it, you might be the only one who owns it.

In this stylish round-up, I’m sharing my favourite curated second-hand stores around Aotearoa New Zealand. Aside from sustainability, I believe that consciously and thoughtfully selecting pieces to buy is the first step to having a unique wardrobe.

Round up by Nikirei

Episode

Owners Rachel and Vincent of Episode’s motto is “Selling vintage to buy vintage.” What they wear is what they want to sell. Through Episode, they get to introduce their style and share their knowledge in archive fashion. Episode’s style is more classic and individual, linking up with their creations in their own label, VINCENTIMENTA, and curation of their wardrobe. They focus on keeping their own style and not getting overwhelmed by trends because they believe individualism comes first before business. Brands like Jean Paul Gaultier, Hysteric Glamour, Versace, and Rick Owens are available from Episode. They also have lesser-known and inexpensive brands but still have that same edgy taste that Episode demonstrates. You can catch Episode at Central Flea Market every Sunday or on Instagram.

Rachel’s favorite piece from her collection: “The first thing that came to my mind was Rick Owens' Long Sneakers. I have quite a few Rick collections; I think they are the most worn items out of all my treasures. I don’t know why I always end up picking them; Rick Owens must have done something to me.”

Rubbish Bin

Rubbish Bin is a consignment store that buys and sells second hand designer items. They are known for selling brands like Prada, Kiko Kostadinov, Maison Margiela, Junya Watanabe, Helmut Lang and many more! The store highlights designer items that are seen in more recent runways to provide to a local customer base that doesn’t get exposure to these brands. 

Mitch curates the store and ensures that the items he picks reflect the brands he loves and respects, and the pieces he sources and takes on from consignees reflect the ethos that he holds when consuming clothing - always appreciating design and storytelling.

In my very long list of must-haves before I die, I finally bought my first pair of Ann Demeulmeester boots from Rubbish Bin! It’s the pair of boots featured - I was naughty and gave into buying them while styling them.

Rubbish Bin operates online and sometimes holds Pop-up stores from time to time so keep an eye out.

Mad Secondhand

Maddie’s thrifting tip: “When the word ‘vintage’ comes to mind, I feel like it is important to have some sense of awareness or interest in what it truly means for something to be vintage. Three things I have noticed help me identify if something is vintage: the tag (paper tags, or older versions of tags from known brands), the fabrics (higher quality fabrics, better craftsmanship, etc.), and obviously the age of the item if you can find the year of manufacture (typically found on the tag inside the garment).”

Stevie Nicks and Daisy Jones are Maddie’s style icons for herself and her brand. Think crochet, velvet, tassels… Corsets, lace camisoles, and patterned dresses can always be found in Mad Second Hand’s diverse selection of pieces. Maddie drives up to Auckland from Tauranga every weekend to sell at the Central Flea Market. She recently had a mini pop-up at Grey’s Wine Cellar on Dominion Rd, which was a huge success with her ‘Everything under $20’ racks where you could find slip-on dresses, skirts, tanks, and more. You can also shop her collection on her website.

Nisathrifts

Obsessed with Y2K, 90s It-Girl and a taste of risqué? Do you want to dress up as a living Bratz doll? Nisa’s collection is filled with fun mini skirts & jeans with buckle details, sheer camis, sporty bits, especially vintage Adidas and Prada. She’s always on the lookout for her favourite designers from the 2000’s like Dior by John Galliano, Diesel, Miss Sixty, Morgan De Toi and when D&G was still cool. 

Nisa is a Wellington-based curator but she ships worldwide from her website and holds Pop-Ups around Aotearoa New Zealand as well. She recently held a pop-up in Auckland and  an endless line alongside Ponsonby Central was formed just on the first day of the Pop-up, selling out most of her stock.

Nisa’s thrifting tip: “For me vintage is all about tags. I am such a tag NERD. The tag is the key, gives me all the information I need. It’s amazing how much things change when you look at a tag, whether it tells you the material or where it’s made or even how to date the item back to a certain era it makes a huge difference.”

Talia Rose Vintage

Talia draws inspiration from film and her favourite characters. She also spends a lot of her  time looking at old runway shows and fashion archives as these things help her inform her decision making when curating pieces for her store. Her excitement never wavers when she curates as it feels the same as when she was playing dress up as a little kid.

If you’re looking for pieces that are romantic and radiate your inner feminine aura? Talia’s Depop is where you can find silk dresses, cotton prairie tops and anything with lace, embroidery and ruffles.

Talia’s thrifting tip: “When shopping for my personal wardrobe, I like to have a checklist in my mind so it's easy to bring home what I really love and will get a lot of wear out of: Shop with a purpose in mind, does this align with my dream wardrobe? Do I feel comfortable and beautiful in it? Trust your instincts, if you feel drawn to a piece, grab it! You may never come across the same piece again!”

You can purchase from her on Depop at the moment but she will be releasing her own website soon.

Photography and words by Nikirei
Styling/Talent: Siriene and Bobbie Angelika
Talent: Zee Uy
Special thanks to Too Cruel To Be Kind for the silver jewellery