Behind the Scenes with LXRandCo

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with a senior buyer at vintage luxury handbag and accessory company, LXRandCo. After working with this brand, I wanted to know more. Being a model I have the great pleasure of seeing the clothes and accessories up close and personal as well as getting to work intimately with employees from different brands. Sometimes, I want to know more, to dig deeper. I wanted to know the ins and outs of the resale market and why it’s a better option for the planet than traditional retail platforms. Check it out and let us know your thoughts.

For 20% off your next vintage purchase, use code BRITTB20 at checkout. You can always message us on social media @ondutycitizen or @brittbergmeister if you want help on choosing the perfect piece that will last a lifetime and never go out of style. The ones you can pass down to your children for years to come.

Enjoy…!

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1) Tell us about your journey in the fashion world and how you ended up at LXRandCo.

My personal journey in the fashion world was actually an accident. I started out in teaching, and just happened into my job as a buyer due to my previous experience with luxury vintage during my university career. I was originally a client of LXR, I frequently sold my designer goods to LXRandCo because of the knowledge of the Buying Department and because of the overall ease of the process. Of all vintage luxury brands I have worked with, LXR’s selling process is by far the easiest and quickest. Because of my knowledge of the market, I was approached by another buyer at LXR to consider a career opportunity in fashion and the rest is history.

2) What are some of your personal favorite timeless pieces worth investing in?

I know there are a lot of brand loyalists amongst designer collectors; however, there are a few bags from different designers that no true collector should be without. From Louis Vuitton, everyone should have a Neverfull, it’s practical, stylist and incredibly versatile. Plus, it has been redone in just about every print and collection possible, personally, the newly released Monogram Empreinte Neverfull is to die for. From Dior, a saddle bag (go for a vintage Trotter print – you won’t regret it) and a classic Lady Dior in the medium size are my must picks. Chanel, classic flaps are a collector’s dream. Go for a vintage flap in Caviar leather if you can find it. The chain straps and hardware are gilded with 24K gold, so they stay the most gorgeous golden hue. Lastly, Hermès, everyone loves a Birkin, but I am all about the Evelyne, a gorgeous and versatile messenger, but I’ll be lured into buying just about anything in the most gorgeous blue colour in existence: Bleu Électrique.

3) Do you have any interesting statistics on how many handbags are in people’s closets that they don’t use?

I envision this is close to the amount of clothing that people actually wear in their closet, only about 20%.

4) I love the concept of the Reluxury Restart program! Can you tell our readers a little bit about what this entails?

I love the Reluxury Restart program as well. Essentially, we wanted to make a program where our clients could love their new-to-them handbags in a risk-free environment for up to six months and still be able to get back up to 75% of its value back to them to re-use for their next Reluxury pre-loved score. Once you purchase an item, if you sell it back to LXR within 6-months, and it is in the same condition as when you purchased it, you get back 60% in cash or 75% in LXR credit back. We really wanted our clients to help us contribute to the circular economy and to love Reluxury.

5) Tell us a bit about the secondhand market process. Where the accessories are from and how are you able to verify all handbags and accessories?

There is so much to know about the secondhand market process. LXR works diligently to source from a variety of locations to give our clients a wide variety of products, which are ethically sourced and priced competitively. We buy and consign items directly from our amazing client base, we source from auction houses as well as through a variety of wholesale suppliers.

Every single item has its authenticity verified by multiple people across multiple mediums. For example, items purchased directly through our amazing clients have an initial authenticity evaluation through photos (we ask for every small detail of the bag), from this, we can eliminate about 95% of counterfeit products – counterfeiters simply aren’t as good as they think they are. Then, our items are shipped to our warehouse where they are again authenticated in person, using a variety of techniques and tools. When they are professionally photographed for our website, they undergo a third authenticity check by our production team and by the buying team.

Each member of our buying team has a background in luxury, design or production. Each member trains for 1-2 years with senior members of the buying team to hone their skills in authentication and ensure our clients receive only authentic Reluxury goods.

6) I am always amazed at the quality of the older vintage pieces and how timeless and resilient they are in both design and craftsmanship. Do you notice a difference in quality between older and newer designs?

There is absolutely a different in vintage quality versus newer models. One of the most obvious differences is materials used. For example, Louis Vuitton used to use pure brass for its hardware. It would never flake and could always be polished back to new without replacing the part. Now, Louis Vuitton uses a gold-coloured coating that frequently rubs off within months of wearing. Other differences include the thickness of the canvas, vintage bags had thicker, sturdier canvases, they just didn’t wear the same way that new bags do. A lot of the pieces LXR carries are older than 20 years old and still look new, vintage is the way to go. I recommend only buying newer pieces when 1) it is a limited-edition piece that won’t be re-released, 2) it is a style you are absolutely in love with and there is no vintage comparable or 3) year exclusive colours.

7) We love that LXRandCo is based upon a circular model of giving a new life to products to close the loop on waste. Are there any other ways this company strives to achieve sustainable and/or ethical business practices?

We do our best to ensure all packaging is sustainable. We are actually in the middle of changing all of our shipping and packaging materials to be entirely recyclable and/or compostable. Keep watching LXR for the launch of the new packaging, it’ll be amazing.

Although it is not directly related to sustainability, LXR also strongly believes in inclusivity and representation in the media. We make sure to hire a variety of models so that everyone feels they could be an LXR client and can see themselves with their own pre-loved Reluxury piece.

We also are partnering with a charitable organization that excels in women and vintage pieces, we will announce that partnership soon.

8) What are some tips for extending the longevity of high-quality products?

How you store your items is key. Make sure that items are stuffed completely, but not over-packed to prevent wrinkling and creasing of your items. We also recommend you store your items in the dust bag when not in use; however, never ever leave your items in the box. When you leave items in a box, it creates an air-tight seal and causes the leather and or canvas to dry rapidly, never a good look.

For vachetta pieces, use a light aerosol leather guard. We often recommend apple guard; it helps non-treated leather stay clean and prevents water marks if you are caught in a precarious precipitation situation.

Remember to clean and condition leather items deeply. We recommend you wipe down treated leather (not vachetta) every other day with a damp soft cloth. You should deeply clean and condition your item about once a season.

9) Can you tell us a bit about the secondhand market growth in the past few years and how you see it continuing to flourish?

The secondhand market has exploded in the last few years. We do not have the same aversion to our products as “used” as we saw even two or three years ago. Consumers are constantly educating themselves and understand the value of vintage and pre-loved.

They also are becoming more understanding and knowledgeable with regards to issues we all face, like global warming and pollution. Everyone is starting to understand that we all need to do our part to make a chance, and buying pre-loved is just one of the small ways we can continue to make an impact.

Fashion has always been circular; we see styles and trends reemerging that we have already seen in previous decades. Some companies try to capitalize on trends and introduce new versions of luxury vintage pieces, but here at LXR, we love the original trend-setter, and we want to share that love with our clients.

10) What are the next steps for LXRandCo? How do you see yourselves evolving in the next five years?     

LXRandCo is an ever-changing and always evolving company. Lately, we have shifted our direction and have become more user-friendly for our online shoppers and have re-designed our website to facilitate ease and style. We have a few more major projects for 2021, all surrounding making Reluxury products more accessible to everyone, and for all our clients to have a really personal experience with LXR.

 In the next five years, LXR is going to be the go-to for Reluxury. What sets us apart from our competitors, and the reason we will continue to be successful is that we really listen to our customers desires and make them a reality.

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Boots for Longevity

When it comes to acquiring the perfectly curated conscious closet, nothing seems more imperative than a pair of black boots. From fall through spring, the black boot is a closet staple that can be dressed up for dancing with the girls (or you’re like me and ‘dressed up’ is your everyday outfits with a red lip and band tee…) or paired down for your casual walk to your local bagel store (maybe after your night of dancing).

From locally made to secondhand, thrifted, sustainable materials or women-owned companies, whatever strikes your cord, these are some of our favorite boots that will hopefully last you a lifetime. Some of these companies have a lot of room for growth in the sustainable world. When buying a new boot, we hope you take the time to research what each company offers and how they can improve. Being conscious about what you’re about to buy is a great start, but if there’s something you wish the company did, for example, they’re vegan but they don’t disclose on their site if they pay their workers adequate wages, perhaps reach out and show interest in their manufacturing processes. Sometimes they need to see interest from their customers to head in the right direction.

Please also consider how often you will wear these boots. In my personal opinion, it’s better to buy something from a company that is somewhat sustainable if you plan to wear the boot almost everyday versus buying from a really great company but only wearing the boot once or twice before discarding.

And remember, if the boot you currently own has a little wear and tear, the best sustainable option is to see your local cobbler and fix what you already have. They can work magic, believe us!

Here are some of the companies pictured above (not listed are second hand options from websites like ThredUp or TheRealReal which is best sustainable option)

Coclico:

  • Uses some eco-friendly/recycled materials

  • Makes products by hand

  • Traces most of supply chain

  • Uses some animal products

Vagabond:

  • Uses some eco-friendly/recycled materials

  • Sources final stage of production from countries at extreme risk of labour use

  • Audits some of supply chain

  • Uses leather/wool but no other animal products

Ayede:

  • Produced in family-owned factories in Italy

  • Neglects trends, will never go out of style

  • No information on use of sustainable materials or factory practices

  • Transparent approach to the value and pricing of product

Gabriela Hearst:

  • Uses some eco-friendly materials like deadstock fabrics

  • Renewable energy in supply chain

  • No evidence of code of conduct for manufacturing

Freda Salvador:

  • Cut, sewn and lasted at a tiny family run factory in Spain

  • Designed by female co-founders

  • Uses leather and animal products

Everlane:

  • Uses some eco-friendly materials like recycled fabrics

  • Renewable energy in supply chain

  • Sources final stage of production from countries at extreme risk of labour use

  • Publicly lists all suppliers from final stage of production

  • Uses some animal products

Timberland

  • Goal to have 100% of footwear made with recycled, organic or renewable materials: 2018 result 69%

  • Plans to plant 50 million trees within next five years

  • Timberland Environmental Product Standards (TEPS) across all product categories

Eco-Friendly Activities For Your Weekend

Too much stuff!

That's how my friends and I felt about the amount of clothes we own. Our New York closets were always bursting at the seams and we felt it was time for a little spring cleaning.

We realized, especially having careers in fashion, that we easily get caught up in the amount of stuff we're made to think we have to have. At one point in time, New York closets were made for the few outfits you had, the type you would mend if anything needed repairing and would last you a lifetime. Buying clothing (or even buying the fabric to make your own clothes) was an investment that took a long time to save up for.  However, as we modernized, our perceptions of the amount of clothing we had to have drastically changed. Fast-fashion, when companies sell as much as they can for as cheap as they can, was introduced and the average amount of clothing people owned exploded. The small-sized closets that were once sufficient for many people to share are now the biggest draw back of finding an apartment in New York; is there ever enough closet space? 

When I read Marie Kondo's "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" I began to realize the importance of loving absolutely everything you owned. When I looked at my closet I didn't see things that brought me joy, instead I saw an overwhelming amount of clothes that were bought on a whim, clothes that were bought because they were on sale and clothes that were bought because they were in style. The few things I had that brought me absolute happiness were things that made me feel good when I wore them, something a $5 shirt with no story attached could provide. 

With Marie Kondo's book as my new inspiration, I began going through my closet with the changing of each season and re-assessing what I had and what could get more love from another home. This year, instead of a solo spring clean I decided to pitch to my friends a sustainable Sunday where we could go through each of our closets and choose things we wanted to swap and things that would be put in a pile for donations. We decided to start at my place with coffees. What followed was thought-provoking conversations of sustainability in fashion, a good amount of laughs and a huge pile of clothes we no longer loved (or unfortunately never really loved) that we hoped would find more use in another home. 

I realized a lot of the things that were getting swapped out of my closet were bright colors that didn't match much else and had only been worn once at most, some things still had tags on them. Having that extra set of eyes helped when deciding if something would stay or go; if there was any hesitation and I had to ask Dani and Zoe if I should let something go, it had to go. What was left was a closet that could breath, things that provided me with absolute joy and most of which all matched. Success!

After my place we visited Dani's apartment in Bushwick. Another fun part of this afternoon was that we got to walk through neighborhoods we didn't usually frequent. Dani had some amazing staples, some fun things that she loved and continued to bring her joy and after trying on some pieces she was unsure of we added to the pile of donations. Zoe got a nice new crop top she felt she could give a bit more love to and we continued on to her place after.

After our walk to Zoe's apartment in Williamsburg, and some much needed refreshers, we sifted through Zoe's closet and added to our growing pile. What amazed us was how much stuff we had and how little use a lot of these items got. 

A key takeaway we all learned was the importance of differentiating between needs and wants. We so often get caught up with idea that because something is on sale we must buy it or that because something is in style we have to have it, whether we really love it or not (guilty!).  There is incredible power in removing yourself  from the instant gratification of a shopping experience and thinking about the thing you are about to purchase as something you will actually love and wear for many years  or another item you'll be bagging up for donations the following season. 

If you find yourself overwhelmed with a daunting closet and the urge is always present to buy more, try and avoid mindless shopping altogether. If you need something, do some research into sustainable companies that are transparent with their practices and how they make and sell their clothing. Invest in items you truly love and need and they will be worth the extra money, especially given how long these items will last compared to any fast-fashion version. Second-hand shopping is also an amazing option to find hidden gems that add a bit of pizzaz to your closet of stylish basics. These items definitely have a story to tell and it's fun thinking about the life they've lived. 

For a curated selection  of stylish staples made sustainably, check out our SHOP section.  You can trust that we've done the research. The looks we recommend are wardrobe staples that will have a long life and have come from a company whose values align with those of ours at ODMODC.

I hope someone else can find love and joy in the bag of items the three of us put together. The three of us are now much more cognizant of the amount of waste we were aimlessly collecting and are going to be much more thoughtful about our investments with our clothing in the future. 

 

A successful sustainable Sunday with the ladies!

Here are a few of the easiest ways to donate clothes in NYC:

  • Beacons Closet

    • They pay 35% cash or 55% store credit of the price tags that they apply to your items

    • All items not selected for resale can be donated to charity as a service to our customers

    • The items that are collected are sold as not-profit items and the money is donated to a host of selected charities found here

  • Reformation

    • When you buy something from Reformation online, they’ll include a free RefRecycling shipping label in your box. You can put that label on the box your stuff came in (or any other box), fill it up with whatever you want to recycle, have the box picked up at your door, and theyll 'do the rest.

    • You can even track where your clothes ended up!

  • Greenmarket Clothing Collection

    • Textiles are collected by Wearable Collections and taken to a sorting facility where they are sorted into different grades, with an effort to recover as much usable clothing as possible for distribution to second-hand markets. Material that is not suitable for reuse will go to recycling markets to be used as wiping rags or shredded for low grade fiber products such as insulation.

    • Check out grownyc.org for a list of all the places you can drop off your clothing in NYC

  • Salvation Army

    • At Salvation Army you can donate furniture, automobiles, household goods and appliances in addition to clothing

    • Everything you donate will be sold at their Family Stores and the proceeds are used to fund Adult Rehabilitation Centers.

    • Salvation Army accepts drop-off donations or will even pick your stuff up for free!