USED

A Chanel bag next to an Isabel Marant blazer, a pair of Prada pumps underneath: at USED in Düsseldorf-Gerresheim, the rails hold designer fashion in excellent condition, some pieces worn only once. The main difference from buying new is the price tag. Since March 2016, Maike Elsner has run this second-hand store for womenswear on the upper section of Benderstraße, Gerresheim’s shopping street. What started as an insider tip for second-hand fans is now a regular stop for anyone looking for high-quality fashion at affordable prices. Maike Elsner takes her time with advice, from the first look at the rail to the question of which bag goes with the new coat.

Maike Elsner has always loved second-hand fashion and has a keen eye for style. At USED, pre-owned designer pieces are presented the way you know from a boutique: clearly arranged, selected and without bargain bins. Instead of volume, she offers a carefully curated range, because every item passes through her hands before it reaches the store. Every piece comes from private owners, and only what meets her standards makes it into the store. Because new pieces arrive all the time, the range keeps changing. A second visit a few weeks later usually turns up completely different finds from the first.

In the store, you will find womenswear, bags, shoes, jewellery, and accessories from designer houses such as Chanel, Hermès, Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Miu Miu, and Missoni, along with labels like Isabel Marant, Ann Demeulemeester, Proenza Schouler, and Dorothee Schumacher. Most prices range from 50 to 1000 euros. USED works on consignment: private individuals bring in clean pieces in excellent condition, and Maike Elsner sets the selling price. Only original branded goods are accepted; fakes and counterfeits are turned away. Consignment runs for two months and can be extended by arrangement. Anything not sold or collected afterwards is donated to charitable organisations. If you would like to consign designer pieces yourself, the consignment terms are available on the store’s website.

Looking for second-hand designer fashion in Düsseldorf without digging through overflowing rails? Then the trip to Gerresheim is worth it. At USED you can try things on in peace and get an honest opinion on whether a piece suits you. Opening hours are listed on this page; the store closes at lunchtime, and on Mondays visits are possible by appointment. Anyone who has found a designer piece second-hand knows the appeal: fashion with a story, worn again instead of hanging unused in a wardrobe.