Collection: Clothing

Discover our carefully curated selection of vintage clothing: dresses, tops, shirts, jackets, coats, knitwear, trousers, jeans, skirts and shorts from the world's most celebrated houses. Every piece is hand-evaluated by our team on avenue Louise and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Because great vintage clothing is not an alternative to contemporary fashion — it is the most intelligent, most considered and most sustainable way to dress.

Our clothing philosophy: why vintage, why now, why here

Les Enfants d'Édouard was founded on a conviction that has only grown stronger with time: that the finest clothing ever made is available not in boutiques selling this season's collection, but in the archive of the past century of fashion design — if you know where to look, how to evaluate it and whom to trust to do so on your behalf. A Chanel tweed jacket from 1995, an Alaïa body-conscious knit from 1987, a Yohji Yamamoto oversized black coat from 1992, a Lemaire cashmere coat from 2018: each of these garments was made with levels of material quality, construction ambition and creative intelligence that define the best of what fashion has produced, and each is available on the secondary market at prices that represent genuine value relative to the craftsmanship invested.

We source our clothing from European collectors, private consignors and the estates of those who understood fashion as a serious creative discipline. We authenticate every piece we sell using a rigorous multi-point methodology developed over years of specialist expertise. We grade every piece for condition honestly and in detail. And we present our selection in a boutique environment — 175 avenue Louise, Brussels — where every garment can be handled, tried and evaluated in person, with the assistance of our team's specialist knowledge.

Our clothing selection spans the full spectrum of modern fashion's greatest achievements: the classical French and Italian luxury houses (Chanel, Hermès, Dior, Valentino, Gucci, Prada), the Belgian avant-garde (Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Maison Margiela, Sofie d'Hoore), the Japanese innovators (Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake), the conceptual independents (Rick Owens, Jil Sander, Lemaire, The Row) and the provocateurs who defined fashion's most culturally charged moments (Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen, Alaïa). In every category — dresses, tops, shirts, jackets, coats, knitwear, trousers, jeans, skirts, shorts — we apply the same standard: exceptional design, verifiable provenance, honest condition assessment.

Our clothing categories

Dresses

From couture evening gowns and cocktail dresses to day dresses, shirt dresses, knit dresses and wrap dresses across the full range of the great fashion houses. Our dress selection spans Alaïa's body-conscious knits, Dior's New Look constructions, Valentino's couture gowns and the quiet, fabric-led designs of Belgium's finest designers.

Tops and T-shirts

Silk blouses, printed tops, archive graphic T-shirts, structured bustiers and the full range of fine fabric tops from Hermès, Celine Philo, Dries Van Noten, Comme des Garçons PLAY and beyond.

Shirts

Classic dress shirts, printed silk shirts, deconstructed and avant-garde shirt-forms, and oversized archive pieces across the full range of the category's design history.

Jackets and coats

Tailored blazers, leather jackets, wool and cashmere coats, trench coats and shearlings — the category where fashion's greatest construction ambition has historically been concentrated. Chanel tweed, Rick Owens leather, The Row cashmere, Ann Demeulemeester asymmetric constructions.

Knitwear

Cashmere sweaters and cardigans, mohair pieces, fine knit turtlenecks, knit dresses and the most conceptually ambitious archive knitwear from Alaïa, Issey Miyake and the Japanese avant-garde.

Trousers

Wide-leg and tailored trousers, slim and precision cuts, draped fluid styles and avant-garde constructions across the full spectrum of the designer trouser's history.

Jeans

Archive designer denim, Japanese selvedge and raw denim, American heritage pieces and contemporary luxury denim — the full spectrum of a category whose complexity rewards serious collector attention.

Skirts

Pencil and body-conscious skirts, full and pleated styles, midi and maxi lengths, printed and embellished pieces, and the most conceptually ambitious avant-garde constructions.

Shorts

Tailored Bermuda shorts, denim styles, wide-leg fluid pieces and archive avant-garde examples — the most revealing silhouette, executed at the highest level of design ambition.

How we select and authenticate our clothing

Every garment in our clothing selection undergoes the same rigorous evaluation process before being offered for sale. We apply seven combined criteria to every piece, without exception.

1. Label and attribution verification

Every piece is identified by its interior label and attributed to the specific house, designer, line and era of production. Label design is cross-referenced against our database of verified examples to confirm authenticity and dating.

2. Fabric and material assessment

We assess fabric quality by hand and eye — the weight, hand, drape and texture of every material, evaluated against the standards we expect for the specific house, era and garment category in question.

3. Construction analysis

We examine the construction of every garment in detail: how seams are structured and finished, how the garment is lined, how buttons and zips are set, how the internal structure relates to the intended silhouette.

4. Condition grading

We grade every piece for condition on a consistent scale, noting any repairs, alterations, staining, fading, pilling or structural issues. Our condition grading is detailed and honest — we never offer a piece for sale without full disclosure of its actual condition.

5. Fit architecture assessment

We assess the relationship between each garment's cut and the body it was designed for, and provide actual garment measurements alongside size labels for every piece in our clothing selection.

6. Design significance assessment

We assess each piece's broader design significance: its connection to key creative moments in the relevant house's history, its demonstration of important technical or aesthetic achievements, and its relevance and wearability within a contemporary wardrobe.

7. Provenance documentation

Where available, we document and share provenance information — original purchase receipts, collection documentation, previous owner history — that supports and enriches the authenticity and historical interest of the piece.

Our commitment: at Les Enfants d'Édouard, we guarantee the authenticity and honest representation of every piece we sell. Every garment comes with our certificate of authenticity, a detailed condition description and 14 days to return if the piece does not meet your expectations.

Comprehensive size conversion guide

Universal vintage clothing size conversion guide

FR/EU	IT	UK	US	Bust (cm)	Waist (cm)	Hip (cm)
34	38	6	2	80–83	60–63	84–87
36	40	8	4	84–87	64–67	88–91
38	42	10	6	88–91	68–71	92–95
40	44	12	8	92–95	72–75	96–99
42	46	14	10	96–99	76–79	100–103
44	48	16	12	100–103	80–83	104–107

Vintage sizing: the essential guide

Vintage sizing requires consistent attention across all garment categories. The key principles: pre-1990 pieces typically run 2–4 sizes smaller than their modern label equivalent; actual garment measurements (which we provide for every piece) are always more reliable than label size; some garment categories (body-conscious knits, tailored jackets) require particularly careful measurement against your own body; alterations are possible for most vintage garments but have specific limits — a specialist tailor experienced in vintage construction is essential for any significant adjustment. Our team is available in boutique and by appointment to assist with sizing questions for any specific piece.

Why invest in vintage clothing

The case for vintage clothing as the most intelligent way to dress is stronger today than at any previous moment in fashion history. Current production — across even the major luxury houses — increasingly faces the pressure of volume, pace and margin management that compromises the material quality and construction standards that define the finest pieces from past decades. A Chanel tweed jacket from 1998 was made from Linton tweed of a weight and quality no longer produced; an Alaïa body-conscious knit from 1987 was engineered with a pattern-cutting precision that the house's current production has not consistently matched; a Jil Sander blazer from the Raf Simons era was produced in Italian wool of a grade that the current price point cannot support.

Beyond the material and construction argument, vintage clothing offers something that current production structurally cannot: genuine singularity. In a fashion landscape defined by global trend homogeneity and unlimited replication, a well-chosen vintage garment — one that reflects a specific creative intelligence at a specific historical moment — is inherently unique. It carries history, narrative and the evidence of considered original design in a way that no seasonal collection, however excellent, can replicate.

And there is the sustainability argument, which grows more compelling with every passing season: the most responsible luxury purchase is a great piece that already exists, cared for and sold to a new owner who values it, rather than a new piece produced at environmental cost to satisfy a momentary trend.

For those wishing to sell clothing from their wardrobe, we offer an expert consignment service across all the categories represented in our selection.

Our clothing selection in Brussels, avenue Louise

Our boutique Les Enfants d'Édouard, 175 avenue Louise, 1050 Brussels, carries a continuously updated selection of vintage clothing across all categories, sourced from European collectors and private consignors. We receive new pieces throughout the week and update our online selection regularly.

We welcome you Tuesday to Saturday to browse, try pieces and receive specialist advice. For focused searches — a specific house, era, garment category or size — we also offer private appointments outside regular opening hours, during which our team can prepare a pre-selected range based on your specific requirements.

Care and maintenance: general principles for vintage clothing

The first principle: when in doubt, do less. A piece that has survived decades in good condition has often done so because previous owners were conservative with cleaning and storage. Unnecessary washing, ironing or chemical treatment causes more damage to vintage textiles than careful, infrequent intervention.

For natural fibre garments (wool, cashmere, silk, cotton, linen), cold water and gentle handling are universally appropriate. Machine washing is risky for most vintage natural fibre pieces — hand washing or dry cleaning by a specialist familiar with vintage textiles is almost always preferable.

For structured garments (tailored jackets, coats, constructed dresses), dry cleaning at a specialist is the default recommendation. Standard dry cleaners may not understand intentional deconstructed elements or unusual construction — always specify if a piece has deliberate raw edges or exposed seaming.

For storage, breathable cotton covers (never plastic), padded hangers for structured pieces, flat storage for knitwear, and natural moth repellents (cedar, lavender) are universally appropriate. Direct sunlight is the enemy of virtually every vintage textile — even the most stable dyes will fade with sustained UV exposure.

Frequently asked questions about our clothing selection

How do I find my size in vintage clothing?

Always use the actual garment measurements provided with every piece in our selection, rather than the label size alone. For tailored pieces, shoulder width and chest/bust are typically the most critical and difficult to alter. For skirts and trousers, waist and hip measurements are primary. We are happy to advise on sizing for any specific piece by appointment or by email.

Can vintage clothing be altered?

Yes, most vintage garments can be altered within certain limits. Taking in or letting out at side seams, hemming, and zip replacement are standard interventions. Shoulder width in tailored pieces and hip width in fitted skirts and trousers are more complex and should be discussed with an experienced tailor before purchase if these are critical fit dimensions. Our team can recommend specialist vintage tailors in Brussels on request.

How do you authenticate the clothing you sell?

We apply a rigorous seven-point evaluation to every piece: label verification, fabric assessment, construction analysis, condition grading, fit architecture assessment, design significance assessment and provenance documentation. Where appropriate, we supplement this in-house evaluation with consultation of specialist partners. Every piece is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a detailed condition description.

What is your condition grading system?

We grade pieces as: Unworn / Mint (no signs of wear, as new); Excellent (minimal signs of wear, no significant flaws); Very Good (light signs of wear, any minor flaws clearly noted); Good (moderate signs of wear, clearly disclosed — appropriate for its age and history). We never offer pieces below Good condition for sale.

Do you accept consignments of clothing for sale?

Yes — we operate an expert consignment service for clothing from all the houses and designers represented in our selection. Please contact our team through the consignment page for details of our evaluation process and commission structure.

What warranty do you offer on your clothing?

Every piece sold by Les Enfants d'Édouard is guaranteed as described, with a certificate of authenticity for signed pieces and 14 days to return (return shipping costs excluded). In the event of any question about a piece purchased from us, our team remains available for any further assessment or verification.

Discover also

Looking for vintage clothing?

Browse our full clothing selection or book an appointment with our team for a personalised session on avenue Louise.

• ✓ Guaranteed authentication: every piece verified
• ✓ Secure delivery: Belgium, France, Europe
• ✓ 14-day returns: satisfaction guaranteed
• ✓ Boutique at 175 Avenue Louise: 1050 Brussels