The Seller Series: Suzanne Koller
At ReSee, every one of our secondhand pieces comes with a story: perhaps that 1920s beaded gown had been in the same family for generations, while the Le Smoking suit was made by Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent for Catherine Deneuve herself. This is, in large part, thanks to our unmatched community of consignors, who have placed their inestimable trust in ReSee. In the Seller Series, industry titans and world-class collectors alike open up their archives, revealing the iconic items they parted with (and those they maybe never will).
After 15 years spent scouring the internet and flea markets for vintage Saint Laurent, Suzanne Koller decided to part ways with her hard-earned 200-plus-piece trove of Le Smoking suits and Russian Collection gems. “Sometimes you need to renew yourself,” says the revered Parisian stylist and imagemaker, “and then it’s good to let go of certain things.”
However, Koller didn’t relinquish her lifelong attachment to secondhand treasures entirely; to this day, she still reaches for ’90s-era Helmut Lang and Martin Margiela—as does her 19-year-old daughter, who has an inimitable style all her own. As Koller puts it, “Good vintage pieces can be incorporated into any wardrobe with ease.”
Why are you drawn to vintage?
“I’ve always been inspired by vintage. I was already going to the flea market when I was 13! Thanks to Helmut Lang, I discovered eBay 20 years ago; he mentioned in an interview that eBay “is the biggest flea market on earth.” That was when I started spending hours online searching for vintage Saint Laurent pieces. It was like treasure hunting to me.”
How do you incorporate vintage into your wardrobe?
“For me, good vintage pieces can be incorporated into any wardrobe with ease. I do love to wear vintage as much as [new] ready-to-wear. It is a pleasure to mix vintage Margiela or Helmut Lang with contemporary pieces.
The items I particularly love are timeless; you don’t even realize that they are vintage. These pieces have become essential to my wardrobe and are my obvious classics. I love how my 19-year-old daughter picks the same items and styles them in totally different ways [than me]. I would have loved to have a mum with such a huge collection like mine and have played with it.”
Is there a certain era or designer that you collect?
“I collect early ’90s-2000s Helmut Lang, Martin Margiela, and Prada. [When the collections were released] I was very young and couldn’t afford these pieces. Now I collect it for myself, but it’s mostly my daughter who wears and enjoys it all!”
When did you start consigning?
“I think I was one of the first people to consign with ReSee. In 2014, I gave [co-founder] Sabrina [Marshall] my collection of 200-300 pieces of vintage Saint Laurent, which I’d bought mostly on eBay over the course of 15 years.”
How do you decide when to part with a piece?
“When a piece hangs in my closet for a couple of years without being touched or worn.”
What was the hardest piece to part with?
“Not a single piece but a whole collection. Sometimes you need to renew yourself, and then it’s good to let go of certain things… But I never regret; once I make the decision, it’s for good.”
What’s something that you’d never give up?
“A Spring 1995 Helmut Lang black sleeveless dress. It’s one of the first Helmut Lang pieces that I bought myself.”
Helmut Lang dress shoot for W Magazine in February 1995
Shop Suzanne' s Closet
Céline
Denim Wrap Skirt
Size: 38 FR
Céline
Textured Patent Slit Pumps
Size: 38.5
Céline
S/S 2018 Belted Cargo Dress
Size: 36 FR
Céline
Resort 2018 Silk Map Sweater
Size: 36 FR
Céline
2017 Cut-Out Cotton Tee
Size: 36 FR
Chanel
Classic Two-Tone Bow Pumps
Size: 40
Céline
Double-Breasted Wool Peacoat
Size: 34 FR
More inspiration
BE THE FIRST
Sign up for our newsletter to get early access to coveted fashion, exclusive sales, private events and insider fashion features.
At ReSee, every one of our vintage pieces comes with a story. This is, in large part, thanks to our unmatched community of consignors.
Though parting with such sartorial treasures may not be easy, the exceptional personal care we put into ensuring that they will go on to live a second (or, sometimes even, a third, fourth, or fifth) life offers a thrill — one rivaled only by that of the besotted shopper who adds them to her wardrobe.
Sell with us
