Ever since her rise to fame in the ’90s, Kristen McMenamy has been known for her impeccable sense of style. Her secret? Pre-loved luxury seller Sign Of The Times (no relation to the Harry Styles song), which the model describes as the “best resale vintage store in London”.
“I’m not sure if I should tell you where I shop,” McMenamy says in British Vogue’s January 2022 cover interview, before going on to reveal that she sources 70 per cent of her wardrobe from Sign Of The Times. Recent purchases include a Yohji Yamamoto trench coat, a printed Marni dress and Saint Laurent’s much sought-after Billy platform boots.
McMenamy is not alone in sourcing her vintage treasures from the Chelsea-based store, which has become a fashion insider’s favourite since first opening back in the ’70s – long before the resale revolution we’re seeing right now began. “Originally, [Sign Of The Times] was opened for celebrities of the day to re-sell their items there,” Antonia Timpany, CEO of Sign Of The Times, tells Vogue. “[Nowadays], we have some of the biggest stylists in the world come to us to source pieces.”
Of course, the reputation of pre-loved and vintage has changed a lot over the years. “I remember when one of my clients said ‘Don’t tell my friend I bought this here’ – people didn’t used to be proud of buying pre-owned,” Timpany continues. “And I think now people are almost wearing it like a badge of honour: ‘I found this pre-owned’, ‘I bought this sustainably’, ‘it’s an original piece’, ‘it’s one-of-a-kind.’”
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Unsurprisingly, Sign Of The Times’s best-selling brands include the likes of Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermès, but the store also stocks more modern pre-loved pieces, too. “Old Céline is always really popular for us, as well as The Row and Khaite,” the store’s owner explains, adding: “For our buyers, it’s an incredible place not only to buy pre-owned but also to discover new brands – we’ve got sellers [from] all over the world because the store’s been trading so long.”
While Sign Of The Times prides itself on its in-store experience, the store launched its e-commerce site a couple of years ago, with an increasing number of vintage lovers now sourcing their pieces online. “The younger generation love finding and discovering online,” Timpany says. “It’s fantastic as it means you can have access to incredible products all over the world.”
Amidst our growing environmental concerns, we can expect to see more people following McMenamy’s lead by shopping pre-loved and vintage in the future. “It’s incredible if we can persuade as many people as possible to buy second-hand, even once in a year,” Timpany concludes. “Whether that’s online or in-store, we should be promoting that.”
