Byline: Sarah Howden
AS iconic IT bags from the likes of Louis Vuitton, Prada, Mulberry, Christian Dior, Burberry and Dolce & Gabanna jostle for attention, you would be forgiven for assuming that you'd walked into a Thistle Street designer boutique, or were spoilt for choice in the Harvey Nichols accessories department. The doors are never closed and the tills ring throughout the day as Capital shopper after shopper falls in love with the designer arm candy.
"On Monday I sold 12 designer handbags," smiles boutique owner, Janice Wardlaw. "There might be a credit crunch, but women in the Capital still know how to treat themselves."
From the exclusive and limited edition, the covetable designer classics to the quirky and vintage, it is fast becoming the haunt of Edinburgh's style savvy, with everyone from trend-aware university students, 20 and 30-something professionals to ladies who lunch not only perusing but snapping up a find.
outdoor led down lightsBut rather than a showy department store or grand boutique, this destination is Xchange Handbags on Montagu Terrace. And all the bags in question are at least half the recommended retail price - all being new unwanted gifts or gently worn.
As the country is in the grip of an economic downturn, a new emerging trend of women is rising from the credit crunch flames. Known as recessionistas - or frugalistas - this new breed of
woman appears super stylish yet are always able to buy a round of drinks and appear to be wearing a new, bang on trend outfit every time they're out. They've just changed the way they shop.
"She is the type of girl who is in the shops snapping up diffusion lines and catwalk-inspired ensembles at high street prices," says Edinburgh stylist, Laura Wilton. "Designer lines at the likes of H&M, New Look, Gap and Marks & Spencer are all a recessionista's dream and things like falling stock prices and rising bills aren't getting in the way of her wardrobe.
"The shop-till-you-drop era is at a close and extravagance has been replaced with austerity. You just have to look at the city's retailers to see discount signs everywhere - even Topshop is aware of it as it announced earlier this year that it was launching its own clothes-swapping events for customers. It's even planning a series of workshops to encourage Coach Oblate Bag Fake Handbags style junkies to turn their junk into jewellery."
The tide has finally turned in favour of being less extravagant and the trend is to have absolutely no shame in it. From knowing the best charity shops and where to get the best discounts to proudly donning frugal fashion, it's all about living like the boom during the bust.
"We opened in September and in less than two months we've had to double the shop size," admits Janice, of Xchange Handbags. "I didn't expect it to take off so quickly but demand has meant that we had to expand.
"The credit crunch has helped us, but so too has the trend to be able to get something high-end on the cheap."
A look around the Capital's TK Maxx stores reveal hordes of shoppers rummaging through the rails in search of designer bargains. Pucci, Chloe, John Smedley, Lyle & Scott, Osprey and Moschino are just some of the labels on offer, with up to 60 per cent off.
The high street stores who have collaborated with fashion trail-blazers to create capsule collections are similarly doing a roaring trade.
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