Fashion bounty hunters are the future of luxury shopping

It’s a rapidly growing industry, with Waller also curating selections for the British sourcing app Sourcewear, which launched in January and has been described by Vogue as “the future of luxury shopping.”

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“Shoppers have never had more to choose from, yet they still struggle to find what they’re looking for,” says Erica Wright, chief executive and founder of Sourcewear.

“Whether it’s a fashion-savvy customer who invests in several pieces, or a new client saving up for a timeless Chanel bag they’ll treasure forever, all customers are considered to be luxury clients who can and should be able to access a service that helps them source what they’re looking for. The future of luxury shopping is personal, and sourcing is proving to be the driving force behind it.”

In the Jackalope suite Waller’s selections from Chanel, stretching from shoes to swimwear, gained the most traction with visitors from Sydney and Adelaide.

“Chanel is always hot, especially with accessories rather than ready-to-wear, unless its bikinis,” Waller says. “I’m getting many requests for Loewe, especially one rainbow dress, and there’s always demand for Miu Miu and Prada.”

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Requests for items from Bottega Veneta and Dior have subsided, but that might be because of direct access rather than the fickle nature of fashion. Dior’s Sydney flagship reopened this year with more accessories and clothing that are easier for Australian customers to purchase.

“My business is based around those pieces that don’t make it here,” Waller says. “The only time they’re going to come to me is if it’s sold out in store. With some pieces, it is like surfing, you have to get them while they’re hot, and before they become overexposed.”

For Waller, working as a fashion bounty hunter is about more than the money and trips to luxury hotels. It’s the thrill of the kill.

“There’s a brown Chanel 22 bag that a customer has requested, and I haven’t been able to get another … yet.”

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