How Fashion People Ensure They Get Cult Items Before They Sell Out

One of the most frustrating things about shopping in an Instagram age is that items can become cult favourites overnight, and waiting lists can spiral before you've had time to enter your credit card details. The one way to guarantee that those pieces you want won't sell out is to shop through Moda Operandi's trunkshows, where you can pre-order designer collections straight from the runway.

"When we first launched, the focus was to give women the power to shop an entire collection," explains Moda Operandi's founder, Lauren Santo Domingo. "A simple concept that, shockingly, no one had thought of yet. I had been given access to the runway, so why not share that privilege with everyone else?"

These previews also have a benefit for designers too. "The other side was the goal to create a company that worked within the industry while helping designers to grow," Santo Domingo shares. "Early in my career, I saw how difficult and costly it is to launch and produce a collection. Moda Operandi is a not only a viable revenue stream for designers but an excellent platform for emerging talent."

Placing orders six months in advance through trunkshows is a different way of shopping for most, so to guide you through the process keep scrolling for our guide for how to shop Moda Operandi's trunkshows.

"Being able to secure those potentially impossible-to-find items in advance actually supersedes the sartorial hysteria associated with frenzied brick-and-mortar shopping," says Santo Domingo. "Our trunkshows offer every color, every size, and every look from a designer's collection. There is never, ever that sense of panic that you might not get exactly what you want. It's a much more civilized way to shop."

The list of designers that offer trunkshows with Moda Operandi is seriously impressive. From New York Fashion Week we have Brock Collection, Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta and more. London's list of designers includes Victoria Beckham, Christopher Kane, JW Anderson, Erdem and Emilia Wickstead. From Milan, there are Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace, among others, and Paris includes Loewe, Isabel Marant, Jacquemus and more. Name a designer, and chances are their name is on the trunkshow list. 

"Our core business—trunkshow—puts the client first and allows them to make a purchase that is unedited from the runway," explains Lauren. This means that you don't wait to see in six months' time which pieces buyers selected from a collection. You can buy special runway pieces that won't make it into other shops, so you have more choice. 

Trunkshows are linked to the fashion calendar, so you are shopping one season ahead— i.e., this September, you are ordering from the spring/summer 2019 collections. This model of shopping is all about forward planning. As these items haven't been endorsed by influencers or fashion buyers yet, you will be less influenced by hype around products and can select those pieces that truly resonate with your own personal style.

"I love to pre-order a few looks from my favorite collections every season and have the best looks of the season hanging in my closet ready to go," says Lauren. "It gives me something to look forward to every season."

To place your order, you pay a 50% deposit, and then pay the final installment when your product is ready. It can take several months for the design houses to create your ordered pieces. Items usually have an estimated delivery date, but it's worth noting that this isn't a precise date—it usually gives a two-or-so month window. 

If you don't want to look through all the individual designer's collections, then our favourite way to see the hero pieces available is in the Trunkshows Best Sellers tab. This features popular products across all categories, from shoes to jewellery to dresses.

The trunkshows include ready-to-wear collections from the likes of Prada and Victoria Beckham, but you can also shop bridal and homeware too. You can pre-order ceramics, cutlery and tablecloths as well as order wedding looks straight from bridal runways. 

Head to modaoperandi.com to shop the latest trunkshows.