Preclothed on Rue Bonaparte, Paris’s Luxury Vintage Destination for ’70s–2000s Fashion
Preclothed is a niche vintage select shop with a unique, quiet, and low-key vibe, specializing in luxury brand vintage from the 1980s to the 1990s (such as Lanvin, Montana, Dior, Saint Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, etc.). It also has a small selection of magazines and jewelry. All items are single pieces in a single size, and the official website is often sold out.
The shop is located on Rue Bonaparte in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, a street named after Napoléon Bonaparte. Its location is excellent, connecting the Seine River and the Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg).
Both sides of the street are lined with high-end galleries, art bookstores, antique shops, designer brand stores, and cafes, creating an overall atmosphere that is culturally and aesthetically oriented. Many high-end niche brands and select shops also choose to open stores here or in the surrounding area.
I first became interested in luxury vintage last year when I was reading the autobiography of American fashion editor Kate Betts, My Paris Dream. The book describes how she and a friend she met through her host family in Paris would often visit flea markets and vintage stores to buy luxury brands from the past. She also mentioned acquiring a vintage Montana jacket. Montana has indeed been very popular in major vintage boutiques in recent years and is one of the most representative brands of that era, as classic as Hermès from the Martin Margiela era . These two brands are also among the key brands featured at Preclothed.
As for how I got into fashion, I actually read 7 original English-language fashion books last year, all of which were easy reads. This year, on the contrary, I haven't read a single fashion book. Instead, I've downloaded a few more professional books on fabrics and costume history, which I plan to read slowly next year.
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Preclothed's pricing is in the mid-to-high range for second-hand vintage. Mulberry silk trousers, jackets, and dresses are mostly around 7000 RMB. At this price point, you could purchase new items from mid-range quiet luxury brands like La Collection and Maria McManus
A second-hand Lanvin jacket is over 7000 RMB. Because it is second-hand clothing, the wash label might be missing, so the composition below can only be described as similar to silk.
A second-hand Dolce & Gabbana 100% mulberry silk dress is also over 7000 RMB.
Second-hand mulberry silk trousers by Romeo Gigli are cheaper, but still cost 4000 RMB.
Like Montana, Romeo Gigli was active in the 1980s and 1990s and had more or less disappeared by the new century.
And second-hand autumn/winter wool items from Saint Laurent, such as capes and jackets, also cost over 10,000 RMB.
At Preclothed, there are also a few knit sweaters and dresses from Hermès' Margiela era.
There are also dresses by Ted Lapidus from the past era of the 1970s; the brand now mainly sells perfume.
Preclothed has even earlier items, like a 19th-century woven bamboo bag. Its specifics cannot be verified, so just take a look.
There is even an 18th-century Morocco belt.
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Preclothed also has a collection of 90s brand magazines, such as Hermès, Vogue, and Dior, as well as Acne Papers, published biannually by Acne Studio since the 2000s. This magazine began publication in 2005, went on hiatus, and then resumed publication in 2021.
Besides magazines and clothing, the shop also has a dozen or so pieces of stainless steel jewelry and naturally shaped stones. The quantity is not large, but they are updated quite frequently, with new arrivals launched simultaneously in-store and on the official website.
Epilogue
As a small and curated vintage shop, Preclothed doesn't have a large inventory, but it is updated frequently. Those who like the vintage style can stop by Rue Bonaparte for a look.
Preclothed's selection style is very different from the bohemian, colorful vintage shops we might typically imagine. Its aesthetic is more restrained and sophisticated, focusing on designer pieces from the 80s to the 00s, with fabrics mainly being wool and mulberry silk. Overall, it is more refined and particular than common select shops.
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