Pre-Loved Podcast with Emily Stochl

Today we're chatting with Rachel Koffsky Parker, Senior Vice President and International Head of Department for Handbags and Accessories at Christie's auction house — one of the most recognized voices in the global luxury handbag market and, an auctioneer herself, having taken handbag sales in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong.
After internships at the Met and the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Rachel found her way to Christie's in 2014, just as handbags were becoming a formalized auctionhouse category. Since, she has helped build the handbag category from the ground up, growing into what is now one of the most strategically important departments in the house — responsible for bringing in 12% of all new Christie's clients and selling in excess of forty million dollars in handbags worldwide last year alone.
Over the last decade plus, she's brought the first single-owner handbag collections to market in both Milan and Paris, set world auction records for Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci, and helped transform the way an entire generation of collectors thinks about handbags — not just as accessories, but as objects with history, rarity, provenance, and serious investment value.
On today's episode, we get into all of it: how she built her expertise by cataloging up to a hundred bags a week, what actually drives value at auction, the record-breaking lots that still give her chills, and why a little wear and patina has gone from a liability to a badge of honor in the eyes of today's collectors. All that and more!
Let's dive right in!
DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:
[4:00] Rachel grew up obsessed with Lucky Magazine, loving all things fashion and handbags. 
[6:35] How her love of luxury handbags led to a career in the auction house. 
[9:16] The first Christie's auction to include handbags was in 1978, but it wasn't until 2014 that handbags became a formalized category at the house. 
[10:25] Handbags now bring in 12% of all new Christie's clients, making it one of the most strategically important departments in the house. 
[12:20] Christie's customers began to understand handbags as an asset class. 
[18:06] What drives pre-sale estimates, and what provenance means in the auction world  
[23:55] Christie's world-record handbag auctions
[31:43] Current trends on the secondary luxury market 
[36:17] The upcoming Christie's luxury week sale with over 250 lots 
[38:10] What goes into producing an auction 
[40:32] Rachel's Holy Grail lot 
[42:22] The personal pieces Rachel will never part with 
EPISODE MENTIONS: 
Christie's
@christiesinc
@christieshandbags
Yayoi Kusama x Louis Vuitton pumpkin bag 
Hermès Kelly Doll 
Upcoming Handbag auction: 28 May to 11 June. 
LET'S CONNECT: 
📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 
SPECIAL THANKS: 
A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!
Patty Weber
Kathy Brand
Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
Lydia Welp
Michael A.
Megan Morris
Jennifer
Alana Rivero
Jerrica Yasumura
Amanda Hale

Today we're chatting with Brooke of Daisy and Stella Vintage — a collector, seller, and curator who has been living and breathing vintage since 1999, and more recently, became the founder of the Twin Cities True Vintage Show.
Brooke grew up in Wisconsin, where her mom sold antique dolls, and she spent a lot of time in auction houses and antique malls and the vintage shops on State Street in Madison. By college, she had a name for her future vintage shop picked out — Daisy and Stella, but it would be some time before she dove fully into her lifelong dream.
Today, Daisy and Stella is a deeply specialized shop focused on Victorian fashion through the 1930s — the era of leg-of-mutton sleeves, hand-beaded gowns, corset covers, and construction so intricate it would cost thousands to replicate today. Brooke has built a reputation as one of the go-to experts in this niche, sourcing pieces through estate sales, online auctions, and a growing network of collectors and friends who know exactly what she's looking for.
In 2023, she took that expertise and turned it into something bigger: the Twin Cities True Vintage Show, a curated, experience-driven vintage event where everything sold on the floor is 50 years old or older, and shoppers dress in vintage – we've covered the incredible street style in Pre-Loved's newsletter this spring!
On today's episode, we get into all of it: how she found her niche and why narrowing down was the best thing she ever did for her business, and what it takes to build a vintage show that draws buyers and dealers from the coasts — and internationally — to the Midwest for one-of-a-kind finds.
Let's dive right in!
DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:
[4:35] Brooke grew up in Wisconsin, where her mom sold antique dolls, and she spent a lot of time in auction houses, antique malls and vintage shops.
[5:23] The vintage landscape of the late 90s and early 2000s 
[8:58] Starting a vintage shop was a lifelong dream for Brooke – one long in the making.
[14:09] Daisy and Stella is a deeply specialized shop focused on Victorian fashion through the 1930s.
[17:23] What's most in demand right now from Victorian through 1930s 
[22:47] Brooke has tried many resale platforms over the years – most recently livestreaming on Whatnot. 
[25:08] Educating customers about pieces that are extremely old and rare. 
[28:00] The piece Brooke had in a bin for 10 years before realizing it was a rare, sought-after French label, Boué Soeurs
[32:28] Why she started the Twin Cities True Vintage show as a production dedicated to vintage fashion older than 50-years-old.
[38:50] The "live mannequin" feature at the Twin Cities True Vintage show 
[44:00] What draws buyers and dealers from the coasts and internationally to a Midwest show
 [45:00] The most rare and remarkable pieces on the floor at the April Twin Cities True Vintage Show.
[48:49] Brooke's own personal collection and favorite vintage pieces.
[56:45] The pieces Brooke has sold that she still thinks about — and her vintage bucket list. 
EPISODE MENTIONS: 
Daisy and Stella Vintage
@daisyandstellavintage
Twin Cities True Vintage Show
@twincitiestruevintageshow
Pre-Loved's coverage from the Twin Cities True Vintage Show
@timelessvixen
Timeless Vixen on Pre-Loved Podcast
Dressing History video on "survival bias"
Candice at Collecting Dust
Glamdiggers Vintage
Stay Gold Vintage
Threadbare
Sturbridge 
Goldstein Museum of Design 
Cora Violet Walters
LET'S CONNECT: 
📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 
SPECIAL THANKS: 
A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!
Patty Weber
Kathy Brand
Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
Lydia Welp
Michael A.
Megan Morris
Jennifer
Alana Rivero
Jerrica Yasumura
Amanda Hale

Today we're chatting with Amy Leverton, an LA-based denim trend forecaster, and the author of Denim Dudes, and founder of the Denim Dudes consultancy that has become one of the most trusted voices in the global denim industry.
Amy grew up in the West Country of England — but once a year, Glastonbury Festival arrived like a city descending on her doorstep, and that collision of music, personal style, and creative energy lit something in her early on. She made her way to London College of Fashion and then Kingston University, where a project on Levi's quietly revealed what she was actually built for .
After working as a denim and casualwear designer, she landed at WGSN, the world's largest trend forecasting agency, in 2007. She spent years building out their denim department, traveling to Coachella and Tokyo to photograph street style, chasing cool kids through markets and down city blocks, and connecting the cultural dots that tell brands what's coming before it arrives. She eventually went independent, and Denim Dudes — which began as a street style book published in 2015 — has since grown into a full consultancy with all the major denim clients you can think of: Levi's, Wrangler, Gap, Guess, Old Navy – you name it.
Denim Dudes publishes a seasonal forecast subscription sharing where denim — and the broader culture around it — is headed next. On today's episode, we get into all of it: how vintage styles inform her forecasting, why she thinks the entire fashion industry needs to be paying attention to what's happening in the vintage market, the state of silhouette in an anything-goes era, and the vintage pieces she can't stop thinking about! 
Let's dive right in!
DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:
[3:57] Amy grew up in the West Country of England — but once a year, Glastonbury Festival arrived like a city descending on her doorstep
[8:38] She made her way to London College of Fashion and then Kingston University,  working as a denim and casualwear designer.
[11:11] How Amy developed a specialty in denim.
[13:01] In 2007, she landed at WGSN, the world's largest trend forecasting agency, and spent years building out their denim department.
[16:43] How a denim trend forecaster studies the trends and looks ahead at what's to come, while looking back at vintage.
[22:00] Fashion is cyclical — Amy reflects on watching trends she lived through the first time come back around, and why a good trend forecaster can never be jaded about it. 
[23:10] How vintage markets are a leading indicator for trend forecasters
[28:08] Vintage is becoming the biggest driver of the mainstream fashion industry. 
[32:01] On denim silhouettes and trend cycles, and the "anything goes" era of denim 
[41:53] Amy's vintage denim collection.
EPISODE MENTIONS: 
Denim Dudes
@denimdudes
@denimdudes on TikTok
WGSN Trend Forecasting
Silver Lake Flea
Levi's RED
Please and Thank You Store
Saleem Ghanchi
The Bearded Beagle
LET'S CONNECT: 
📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 
SPECIAL THANKS: 
A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!
Patty Weber
Kathy Brand
Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
Lydia Welp
Michael A.
Megan Morris
Jennifer
Alana Rivero
Jerrica Yasumura
Amanda Hale

This month on Pre-Loved, we're launching something new: the Resale Report, a monthly special podcast segment dedicated to the business of vintage and secondhand — made specifically for the small shop owners, solo sellers, and independent dealers.
Joining me is Sloan Middleton-Mann, founder of Business of Vintage, the world's only marketing agency specialized for vintage sellers. Sloan brings a rare combination of industry experience and formal business school training — she went back to get her MBA specifically to translate retail and marketing best practices to the one-of-a-kind space of secondhand, and has been helping vintage sellers build smarter businesses ever since.
In our first conversation, we dig into the momentum behind Vintage Store Day — this year on May 16! — the retail holiday founded by Lost Girls Vintage and Rare Form in Chicago, now in its second year with over 1,100 shops participating.
We discuss marketing a special event like this one: how to think about social media in a way that actually makes sense for a small vintage business, and what to do after a great event to turn new foot traffic into loyal regulars.
Whether you're planning something for May 16th or just trying to build a more sustainable business around the thing you love, this one's for you.
Let's talk shop.
DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:
WEBINAR: Vintage Store Day: Social Media & Press Strategy That Works
[6:10] The resale market is growing four times faster than traditional retail — what that means for independent sellers right now
[7:35] How social media has made vintage shopping more exciting and more challenging at the same time
[10:53] How to make Vintage Store Day a special day, beyond any other Saturday your open your store.
[13:13] How to market a special event beyond the flyer
[16:55] 46% of resale shoppers now start their secondhand shopping discovery on social media — and what it means for how you think about your content
[23:29] Storytelling ideas for Vintage Store Day and other special events
[27:15] What to do after the event, and how to turn one great day into lasting momentum
[34:13] Why authenticity is what's actually working on social media right now
[37:08] How shops can use Vintage Store Day to land local press
Thanks for listening to Pre-Loved! You can find me across the internet on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn! 💛 - Emily

Today, we're chatting with Nica, the founder behind FashioNica — a live-streamed marketplace for curated pre-loved designer handbags, jewelry, and watches that has built one of the most devoted communities in the luxury resale space.
Every Thursday at 7 p.m. Pacific, Nica drops a new collection, but the real magic happens in the thirty minutes before that, when she goes live on Instagram to show off what she found that week — it's basically a FaceTime call with a few thousand of your most handbag-obsessed girlfriends to see what Nica found this week. Each drop, her bags routinely sell out in under two minutes.
Nica grew up thrifting, scanning the racks at Goodwill and Salvation Army for the trends she'd clock at Forever 21, where she worked after school. She developed a sharp eye early — and, as it turned out, an even sharper instinct for which pieces were worth holding onto. A Nordstrom employee discount and a Chloé backpack were her gateway into designer pieces. After that, there was no going back — though she's never really considered buying new when pre-loved exists.
What started as a passion project filmed on an iPhone, with bags laid out all over her apartment, has grown into a full operation with a team, a warehouse, international sourcing trips, and a major pop-up event — FashioNica Fest — that drew hundreds of community members to a studio full of bags she'd personally sourced in Japan. 
On today's episode, we get into all of it — how Nica sources the pieces that end up in your cart, the art of the Thursday night drop, and why she believes a bag with a little wear is always going to be more interesting than one that's never left the store. 
Let's dive right in!
DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:
[6:04] Nica got into thrifting at the Goodwill and Salvation Army in high school.
[9:45] How she got into designer handbags during her time working at Nordstrom.
[12:40] How she landed styling work on celebrity cover shoots by sliding into DMs. 
[17:10] Why she started creating fashion content on TikTok. 
[22:31] Investing $15,000 into an early inventory buy.
[27:08] Prepping for a weekly bag drop.
[34:25] Growing the team behind FashioNica. 
[34:25] Growing the team behind FashioNica.
[37:21] Designer bag sourcing trips in Paris and Japan. 
[39:15] Planning FashioNica Fest: the first major pop-up, born from a sourcing trip. 
[44:24] Nica's personal bag collection. 
[48:47] Watching Jane Birkin's original Birkin sell at auction for $10 million. 
EPISODE MENTIONS: 
FashioNica.com
@xofashionica
FashioNica on TikTok
Nica's YouTube
Jenn Im - Youtube
Aya Kanai
@fashionica.shop - "behind the bag drop" secret Instagram
LET'S CONNECT: 
📸Instagram: @emilymstochl
🐦Threads: @emilymstochl
🎥TikTok: @emilymstochl
📧 Substack: https://prelovedpod.substack.com/ 
🎧Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/prelovedpod 
SPECIAL THANKS: 
A special thanks goes out to my Patron Insiders – your support makes Pre-Loved Podcast possible!
Patty Weber
Kathy Brand
Lisa of Queenie & Pearl
Lydia Welp
Michael A.
Megan Morris
Jennifer
Alana Rivero
Jerrica Yasumura
Amanda Hale