Luxury Garage Sale has been featured by Lucky Magazine, Marie Claire and Daily Candy all within your first year of business. What is it like having things take off so quickly?
Brielle Buchberg: It is crazy. Occasionally we’ll stop for a moment to take it all in. We have pinch me moments but the second something happens we are then thinking about the ten other things we have to do.
Lindsay Segal: We launched to the public in February of 2011. Now we have four full-time employees and are operating a fully functional business in less than a year. We have been really blessed with press. All of our clients have been from word-of-mouth and referrals.
You sell you vintage and designer clothing that your clients no longer want or need. What is the best part about getting to go through different types of closets?
Brielle: We are meeting a lot of cool and interesting people. We go to some really unbelievable homes.
Lindsay: When we go into cool houses I can be more focused on the interior than the clothing!
Have you ever come across an item that you wanted to snatch up for yourself?
Lindsay: We get asked that a lot but we actually get more of a thrill out of selling the items and writing a big check to our consignors. That gets us excited!
You sell your items on eBay or at one of your shopping events. Do you think you will ever open a permanent store front?
Brielle: We never wanted a traditional store front. Clients can email or call us and shop here privately in a intimate setting or they can bring friends and a bottle of champagne. No matter what we have, it’s only going to be here for a fixed period of time so there is always the feeling of having to get something before it’s gone.
Lindsay: We are evolving constantly so you never know.
Have you ever gone through a closet and couldn’t find anything you could sell?
Lindsay: When we started it was new to us so we accepted a lot more. Now we know what sells and what doesn’t. Occasionally we do have clients that don’t have the right fit for us and it can be a bit awkward. We never want to leave on a bad note so we usually find one or two things to take to work with them on.
How often is it that consignors don’t realize how special their pieces are?
Brielle: It’s not that they don’t know what they have, they know what they spent on it back in the day. I don’t think they realize the value the garment still has.
Lindsay: When we go into closets with so much vintage some customers say, “Oh, this old thing,” but many items are so well made and are in such great condition. It’s nice to be with these items that are rich and have value, just like Cameron Silver said in his interview.
What is your most prized personal possession?
Lindsay: My entire costume jewelry collection, it’s probably the one thing I would save in a fire.
Brielle: I’m really into my shoes. I think it’s because my mom wore heels everywhere, she finds it uncomfortable to wear flats.
Lindsay, you once helped style Lady Gaga for a Women’s Wear Daily shoot. How was that experiene?
Lindsay: I was doing freelance for WWD and assisting a stylist when she was here three years ago for Lollapalooza. It was right when she was on the brink of becoming famous. She actually didn’t wear a lot of the clothes we picked out for her because she came with trunks of her own spandex. She also came with this custom-made disco ball bra. That’s how it is when you style celebrities, they are very particular.
Have you always had a love for consignment shopping?
Lindsay: I didn’t know about eBay prior to starting this. I wasn’t a big consignment shopper. Now all I look for is the unique standout pieces, those are the pieces that are fabulous and you can only find one of.
Where can we find you two shopping in the city?
Lindsay: SARCA. I’m a huge H&M fan and I love Sofia.
Brielle: We’re big online shoppers.
What is the biggest fashion faux pas you see in Chicago?
Lindsay: I can’t stand shorts in the winter with tights. Also, cropped leggings! You are just asking to look short and cut off.
Lindsay, you’re engaged and Brielle, you’re married. How do your fiancé and husband fit in here?
Lindsay: They are basically unpaid LGS employees. We call them our unpaid interns. [Laughs] They are always helping us out and couldn’t be more supportive and amazing.
If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be?
Lindsay: Simon Doonan, Jonathan Adler and Iris Apfel, she is my idol. She is the most insane costume jewelry collector ever.
Brielle: She is like a costume jewelry hoarder in the best possible way. There is always a seat for Karl Lagerfeld at our imaginary dinner party. Rachel Zoe would fit in nicely and The Man Repeller.
Photography by Natalie Probst
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