She’s dressed all the A-listers, from Dua Lipa and Ice Spice to Sophie Turner, and now it’s my turn – Amy Bannerman has agreed to style little old me for London Fashion Week. 

Bannerman certainly knows a thing or two about sourcing vintage. In her role as eBay’s in-house preloved style director, she has developed a knack for finding rare designer pieces, so it’s fair to say I was in the hands of an expert. 

“It would be fun if we could get you some vintage Prada shoes,” Bannerman tells me, aware of my penchant for a twee kitten heel. After a quick preliminary call, she has the measure of my style signifiers, and has put together a spreadsheet of wonderfully winsome pieces for me to try.

Arriving at my doorstep the next day is a set of the most incredible preloved pieces, and I never want to take them off. Three vintage Miu Miu designs – a chic brown twin set, a cheery cardigan with celestial-shaped buttons and a flippy skirt in classic black that juts out at the waist joyously. And, of course, the shoes, Prada with a mule silhouette in the softest buttery leather. Obsessed. 

Thanks to Bannerman and her eagle eye for shopping secondhand, I tapped my lemon-yellow heels together and whisked myself off to the London Fashion Week shows in seamless sophistication. No stranger to (late night) browsing through eBay myself, I was still reminded of the merits of shopping secondhand.

For Bannerman, styling new clients means she can give old forgotten items a whole new lease of life. “Why get something new in store which is ‘like Prada’ when you can get the real deal? This is what eBay is all about,” she tells me.

To celebrate London Fashion Week in its full thrifted glory, Bannerman shares her tips and tricks for sustainable shopping, her top styling mantra and what’s on her ultimate wish list. 

“Build a wardrobe of classic pieces that suit your personal style and body shape. These will be the foundations of your wardrobe and will make getting ready in the morning much faster, I promise. A good pair of jeans is a wardrobe must-have.”

“Do I have to just choose one thing? Always the Prada shearling coat from autumn/winter 2014. I will find it, mark my words.”

“Styling celebrities is no different at all to styling a client. I always start with someone’s personal style and build out the looks from there and try new shapes and ideas in addition to what I know they will like and be comfortable in.”

“In my opinion, comfort is the key to looking stylish.”

“I love preloved pieces for so many reasons: individuality, cost, the story behind the piece and, most importantly, it’s better for the environment. We don’t need new things; whatever you’re looking for is already on eBay!”

Images: courtesy of eBay and Stylist