Inside Angels Wear Preloved, Toronto’s Dreamy Luxury Resale Show

“Vintage clothing was my first love,” says Amy Polevoy, as she recalls taking the subway to Kensington Market back when she was in high school, in search of special finds at stores like Exile and Courage My Love.

Today, the love of fashion—and garments with a past life—remains. But the vintage frocks have been upgraded to pre-loved designer gems and unique, high-end finds. That shift started when Polevoy was working at Flare Magazine and discovered a Toronto consignment store called Extoggery. “I was blown away—they had Alexander Wang, Phillip Lim, The Row, and all in pristine condition,” she says.

Eventually Polevoy opened her own private shopping space inside her home. “I was very selective about the pieces I chose to bring in,” she says. The service was two-fold: Polevoy curated a selection of incredible clothes, and opened her space to friends on a private, appointment basis for personalized styling consults.

Although Polevoy eventually closed the space, she wanted to stay in the world of resale. Her vision? A multi-vendor preloved designer shopping show called Angels Wear Preloved. Polevoy references the long-running Toronto Vintage Show as her inspiration, which takes over Exhibition Place twice a year to bring dozens of vendors and thousands of vintage lovers together in one space. “That show is amazing, but there are only a handful of high-end, designer booths,” she says.

Her first show took place last fall at The Warehouse, a 13,000-square-foot events venue on the grounds of Downsview Park, with the city’s top consignment boutiques participating. Then, during the holiday season, Polevoy co-hosted a festive designer resale event inside the FASHION Closet, which featured a smaller, highly-curated selection of vendors. Now, Angels Wear Preloved is back for its spring edition.

“Ninety percent of my vendors are returning, which is huge,” says Polevoy. Among them: Rewind (“They’re so well-known,” Polevoy says, “Martha Stewart shops there!”) and Mine & Yours (“The owner, Courtney, is such a powerhouse.”) New additions include Fashionably Yours, VSP and Luxe Du Jour—all big names on the Toronto resale scene, which only validates Polevoy’s concept. From the start, the ethos of the show has been to offer a selection that’s gender-neutral and varied. Plus, Polevoy is sprinkling in a few lifestyle vendors in the beauty and travel space to round out the shopping experience. There’s already calls to bring the show—which is the first to so many luxury resale boutiques under one roof—to Calgary and Vancouver with local vendors.

Reflecting back on her first Angels Wear Preloved show, Polevoy  is grateful to the boutiques. “It means a lot that they put their trust in me because this was brand-new.” The most gratifying part? “Watching all the shopping bags leave! I was running around about to faint all day going, ‘Is everybody ok? And yes, they were more than ok!” Though she relies on a producer to help with set-up, Polevoy is essentially a one-woman show, and she invests everything back into Angels Wear Preloved to grow and improve the experience.

The resale fashion space has come a long way since Polevoy’s high-school days. What was once looked down upon is now quite cool, with fashion-lovers seeking out rare archival pieces from their favourite labels and shopping second-hand as a way to keep closets stocked with luxury finds without going over budget (and shopping more sustainably). “From a fashion standpoint, it’s a dream come true,” says Polevoy, “It puts aspirational luxury within your grasp.”

Reflecting on some of her own best scores, Polevoy recalls a Balmain jacket with jewelled buttons she picked up from Mine & Yours during a special holiday shopping event inside the FASHION Closet co-hosted by Angels Wear Preloved. “That jacket is art. It’s one of the most gorgeous things I’ve ever owned in my life.” Then there’s all the high-end denim. “If I could re-do my wedding, I’d wear denim,” she jokes. Her best pair is by R13 secured for 75 percent off their original price at VSP. Finally, Polevoy pulls out an oversized tote bag (also by Balmain) covered in painterly cherubs. “Angels, how fitting!”

Angels Wear Preloved returns at The Warehouse, 35 Carl Hall Road, Toronto on Sunday April 12, from 11-5. Get your ticket here.