On (not so) reliable brands

I remember a time when I was lusting after every piece created by Isabel Marant. Clearly I didn’t have the means to fund an entire collection, but I carefully selected the pieces that worked for me. I spent days on Ebay trying to find a jacket or coat I missed out on (I should probably write a post on my IM coat collection, haha). But then, a few years back when the brand gained popularity, prices started to rise, designs became less timeless and more on trend and it became harder to find myself in her aesthetic. Regarding the prices, I will still make the occasional exception though. I’m more than willing to spend a little extra on a well constructed coat for instance, but I would never pay $500 for a simple, semi-shear dress. Trust me when I say that the range in quality can be quite shocking. And it’s very hard sometimes to tell which piece of clothing will withstand the test of time.

Acne Studios used to be another favourite, especially the knitwear. I’m glad I was able to get my hands on a few beautiful sweaters and cardigans before a lot of their clothes and shoes became insanely expensive and a little too extravagant for my taste. Without these two brands to fall back on, I seem to be reaching more and more for high street fashion because I no longer know where to shop. But even the quality of high street brands such as Zara has declined over the years, albeit in slow motion. I do have positive experiences with brands such as Weekday and COS, which is why I mention them on a regular basis. And sure, there are some other brands that drew my attention over the years, like A.P.C., but most of their clothes aren’t very flattering on my curvier figure. I’m also very interested in almost everything made by Everlane. But unfortunately they don’t ship to the Netherlands and I read a couple of bad reviews about the third party shipping service they recommend. So unless they’re going to start shipping their stuff internationally, I’ll just have to keep drooling from afar.

It sucks that I can no longer rely on my favourite brands. I’m looking for items that I can wear for a couple of years a least, preferably longer and sometimes it just seems to be hit or miss regardless the price range. I’m not sure where I’m going with this rant, because I obviously don’t have a solution. But let’s just say I’m open to brands that are actually worth investing in. So hit me up with your recommendations!

Tell me, do you have any go-to brands or designers and did you notice any changes in quality over time?