WHO: Emily Erkel, co-founder and CMO, LePrix 

How has working at LePrix changed how you view secondhand pieces?

I always loved vintage and secondhand ever since my co-founder and sister Elise Whang and I were young. As we grew LePrix, the only place to shop pre-owned luxury from the best vintage stores, our appreciation and love of vintage has grown. By working with these fantastic vintage stores, each a vintage expert, we have learned so much. When you hear about the craftsmanship of a certain vintage, who may have carried it, and the history behind the style, your love of pre-owned will only grow.

As someone who is well versed within the secondhand market, are there any tips you wish you had known about luxury resale when you first started? 

My first tip is to do the research. Narrow down the brand, style, and color of the bag for the price range you want. Then when you do come across your dream bag, don’t hesitate. The second tip is the moment you see your dream bag act on it because vintage is all one of a kind—once it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ve learned that the hard way.

There are some shoe trends that become very popular, peak, then go away for a decade or more. Others only fade away for a few seasons before making a comeback as big as before—if not even bigger. Time will tell if the comeback we’re referring to here will eclipse the cowboy boot craze of 2018 but so far, there’s evidence that proves they’ll be everywhere again. 

For starters, the F/W 21 runways of heavy hitters like Isabel Marant were covered with them, retailers’ new arrivals include tons of them at a variety of price points, and very influential celebs like Kendall Jenner are already wearing them even though we’re amidst the dog days of summer.

Jenner was recently photographed out in Malibu wearing loose cream-colored jeans, a cropped tank top, and two-tone vintage Western boots. We love the idea of wearing them under loose jeans, which is a change from previous seasons when they were often worn with skinny jeans and straight-leg styles. If you’re intrigued, read on to secure a pair for yourself before fall comes out of nowhere (or just start wearing them now à la Jenner).

The next time I complain about packing for a trip, I hope that someone reminds me of the year and a half starting in March 2020 that I didn’t step foot on a plane. But in early June, I returned to the airport to take a quick trip up to NYC, followed by a quick trip to Miami later in the month. My first realization when I opened my suitcase was that I’d forgotten how to pack for a trip that involves taking an airplane.

After more hours than I care to admit, I was finally able to zip up my suitcases for both trips. New York was amid a heat wave the weekend that I was there, so my wardrobe was closer to that of Miami than I would’ve predicted (minus the beachwear). I’m a person who purchases much of their wardrobe ahead of trips (or some other specific occasion), so many of these items are pretty new and still available to shop. In case you’re seeking some packing inspiration or just some shopping inspiration, scroll on to see what I packed for NYC and Miami this summer.