First Lady Jill Biden appreciates designer clothes—and a bargain. She is a longtime patron of Designer Consigner in Hockessin, buying high-end labels at the boutique and consigning garments when she is editing her wardrobe.
Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester is also a customer, as is Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long. Bessie Speers, formerly head of school at tony Tower Hill, brought in her whole family to shop.
“Resale has ballooned. It’s more mainstream. It’s green, it’s recycling,” says Michele Scott, the boutique’s owner.
When she was a child, Scott’s mother took her shopping at thrift shops while her peers bought new clothes off the racks of chain stores. The other teens wound up admiring her individual look. In high school, she was even voted best dressed.
“At the prom, all the other girls were wearing Jessica McClintock and I was wearing Yves Saint Laurent, a mint green satin gown my mom got for $72,” she recalls.
Scott founded Designer Consigner in 2009 in the early years of the Great Recession. While many retailers struggled, her resale operation flourished as patrons picked up bargain-priced garments and accessories with upscale labels while selling pieces that no longer suited them.
Her late mother, Vicki Montague, charmed customers and was always garbed impeccably in St. John, accented with the roses and spice of her trademark perfume, Trésor.
Scott blew by projections for her first year’s revenue in three months. Today, Designer Consignor continues to blossom because of environmentally conscious shoppers who embrace the opportunity to recycle their wardrobes.
The COVID-19 pandemic presented yet another opportunity. Scott began selling online, building a customer base of consigners across multiple states and a robust email list. Designer Consigner expanded with a men’s brick-and-mortar boutique adjacent to the flagship store.
Scott is unabashedly selective in what labels she accepts from consigners, from Adrianna Papell to Zac Posen. No intimate apparel, sporting equipment, children’s clothes, or bridal attire. No vintage, except for high-end labels like Pucci and Chanel. Garments must be clean and pressed. Consigners typically receive 50% of the sale price. The exception is high-end handbags.
“I’m happy to take 30% on a $10,000 Birkin bag,” she says.
Gucci and Fendi bags fly off the shelves, often to online shoppers. “Within minutes, the phone will ring and they will buy the bag sight unseen,” Scott says.
A few representative labels and prices: Tory Burch floral long-sleeve dress, $166; Prada nude patent-leather pointy-toed pumps, $290; Free People print jumpsuit, $47.
Scott is serious about giving back to the community, hosting a winter coat drive and other charity events. She treats her patrons, too. Designer Consigner holds a Semi-Annual Bag Sale, in which customers pay a $25 flat fee to fill a shopping bag with anything they wish.
Designer Consigner
7185 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin; 239-4034
Website
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