Secondhand news

Label-conscious shoppers, say hello to bargains at Goodbyes and the Designer Consigner.

By Brigid Gaffikin

FOR THE PAST five years, Sheri Katz has enjoyed perusing the stock of used clothing at Goodbyes (3483 Sacramento, SF. 415-674-0151) in search of hidden treasures. Her best discovery was difficult-to-find knitwear by Irish designer Lainey Keogh. But Katz is equally thrilled by more mainstream designer labels here, like Chanel. "The prices are right. They keep it real," she said during a recent visit to the shop.

Just down the street at the Designer Consigner (3525 Sacramento, SF. 415-440-8664), a regular customer said excitedly, "I've found my body-double here," – meaning someone who's her exact size is consigning regularly to the store.

She was there on a sunny fall day with a friend from New York, who busily admired the fit of a sleek black Gucci jacket in one of the store's huge, gold-framed mirrors. Having worked in retail, this customer (who wouldn't give her name for fear of competition from her same-size friends) is picky about where she shops, and this secondhand store meets her high standards. "The clothes are clean, the staff terrific," she attested.

As it turns out, when it comes to clothing, the well-heeled are champion recyclers. And at stores like Goodbyes and the Designer Consigner, thrifty shoppers can save between 50 and 80 percent off retail prices for choice designer outfits once worn by consigners who paid full price.

Goodbyes, a Presidio Heights fixture for around 15 years, has three outlets along a busy block of Sacramento Street. The women's store is bursting at the seams: Close to 50 racks of clothing jostle for space, and almost every shelf and cabinet displays accessories like bags, socks, scarves, and jewelry.

There are always at least six racks of designer labels, according to owner Margaret Hensley. But on a recent visit, there were at least twice as many. Pants by Burberry, Marc Jacobs, and Dolce and Gabbana were $42, $68, and $89, respectively, less than Banana Republic prices for clothes that retail for as much as six times more.

Hensley, a 30-year veteran of the used clothing business, was surprised when asked about a generous rack of Chanel at the front of the store. This sort of consignment, of labels that retail at outrageous prices, is quite routine, she explained. Many sellers regularly rotate their wardrobes and bring their "old" outfits to Goodbyes. Other clothes are brought in by people who work in retail outlets like Saks, Neiman Marcus, and designer boutiques. Because they have to wear the current season's clothes, they consign barely used items several times a year.

Women's shoes at Goodbyes are an extraordinary world of their own: Rows of Salvatore Ferragamo and Gucci line the changing room at the back of the store, some in such good shape it seems they've been discarded accidentally. Most shoes there, like Miu Miu and Prada, are in great condition and cost between $65 and $130.

The Goodbyes men's store (3464 Sacramento, SF. 415-346-6388) is much smaller than the women's store but just as jammed, albeit with a more exclusively designer selection. In late October, suits by Paul Smith and Ermenegildo Zegna were each $266.25, roughly a quarter their typical retail price. Although most men's shoes were more obviously worn than the women's, a virtually new pair of chocolate brown suede Hermès loafers was a (relative) bargain at $190.

Hensley organizes the stock in each Goodbyes store with a sharp eye. Anything that lingers more than 30 days is whisked to a markdown Goodbyes store (3462 Sacramento, SF. 415-346-6388) and its price cut by 25 percent.

The other branch of the Designer Consigner (563 Sutter, SF. 415-362-3793) could easily be mistaken for one of downtown's sleek, high-end boutiques. Brenda Alessandria and business partner Cheryl Lund know what they're doing, having worked in high-end retail before founding the store, nine years ago.

Though both branches emphasize designer brands, each is also dotted with more mainstream labels like Ann Taylor. "We try to boutique it," Alessandria says. Unbelievably, a Louis Vuitton peach silk blouse was priced at $90, and a rust-colored wool Prada pantsuit at $395.

Nothing's perfect, of course. Anyone with a flush closet can consign clothes, so alongside the Prada and Gucci in these stores hang slick but not-so-young designer labels like St. John and Jaeger as well as the somewhat bizarre, like a bright orange, double-breasted Escada skirt suit. But in the world of used clothing, this is surely the whole point.

Brigid Gaffikin is a Bay Area writer who hates shopping but loves a bargain. Contact her at brigidgaffikin@yahoo.com.