Why everyone needs to take a fashion pilgrimage to Europe
High-End Parisian thrift shop
Tired of walking around SoHo and seeing the same old #FashionBros rocking the latest “Fire jawn"? Tired of logging on instagram and wondering if you are following 10 of the same people because they all have the same Fear of God 4th collection shit on? I have a suggestion that will change your “what did Kanye wear today” mindset forever. Save up and visit Europe. For the past 4 months, I have become a complete broke boi traveling across Europe picking up piece after piece for fractions of the price I would have paid in America. A simple journey to a thrift shop in Paris will make you think you physically stepped inside Grailed.com.
My first weekend In Paris, I stumbled upon pieces from Hedi Slimane’s #GODLVL Saint Laurent AW 2013 collection; I found this fire leather coat for 500 euros, which is a fraction of the retail price. Sadly I’m team big boned and I couldn’t fit it . Later that same day, I was staring at an assortment of Margiela T shirts all under 60 euros. Even outside of the fashion mecca that is Paris , other parts of Europe have HEAT for days. Trying to channel your inner Asap Nast, Travis Scott, or Drake and be a Stone Island fiend? Come to Rome. Stone Island floods the streets of Rome like Polo does in the states, and is available at thrift shops for as low as 40 euros. However, if your looking for brand new heaters and trying to flex at a name brand store, Europe is the place for that too. For all my economic geniuses out there, you guys understand currency rates and the Euro is POPPING. I personally was able to cop a pair of Ramones straight from the Rick Owens store for about 400 euros, which is about $490 USD. Try to cop Ramones in the good ol’ USA, and it’s an easy $800 after taxes. How is this possible you ask? Many of your favorite bands are based and produced in Europe, making the overall cost lower because the distribution to the U.S. includes shipping, customs fees, and the American dollar also being weaker than the Euro. So next time you see Luka Sabbat or Ian Conner rocking some archival Raf Simons, and you are too broke to cop, don’t sweat it. It ‘s probably sitting in some dusty European thrift shop with your name on it, and for a steal. So next time the parentals bring up vacation plans at the dinner table, you know exactly what to say...