What clients are actually requesting from personal shoppers

"What's chic is not to have excess."

Buying vintage used to convey taste and insider knowledge. It was a flex. But now, everyone is on Vestiaire, eBay — which just bought Depop — and The Real Real, which is on the New York Stock Exchange. TikTok trends exist where people are showing what they can find at ZZER in Shanghai. When I first went to Amore Vintage in Tokyo, it was located on the upper levels of a concealed office building. Now, it has multiple stores in Japan and is a celebrity favourite with the likes of Kendall Jenner to Alexa Chung.

It’s less about buying pre-loved exactly — this isn’t about vintage versus new or current season. Now it’s about the specificity, and knowing exactly what you want, and how to get it.

Over dinner at the newly opened Café Clement in London recently, my old friend Erica Wright said to me: “What’s chic is not to have excess.” (I’ve also previously interviewed her here.)

She should know — a few years ago, she started the personal shopping app Sourcewhere, which connects people who want to buy something specific, to people who just know how to find the item.

We talk about shopping a lot. From that time I bought something from an Instagram-based vintage sourcer and it took three months to get the item with no communication from them (… don’t get me started) — she explained that to get on the platform as a sourcer, they have to be tested and verified for reliability. (The one I used didn’t pass, unsurprisingly). To some of the one-off purchases that are truly wild — rare couture pieces.

What are currently the most requested items? She’s pulled together some recent most requested items. Some I wasn’t surprised about — Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel is on there, but some I was FLOORED about. (Like the leopard pinafore, below!) And, it’s fascinating to see what made a request increase in popularity.

Read on, and start adding to your own wishlist.

Chanel Métier d’art 2026 Collection, Look 33

The Chanel leopard pinafore dress (Métiers d’Art, New York) was one of the single most requested looks from the collection, with multiple requests across the US and Asia. Several clients wanted the complete runway look, including the hand-moulded leopard fascinator created by Maison Michel. There were a lot of novel, collectible pieces in this collection, but this particular accessory certainly surprised us in terns of demand.

Note from ZW: I am still floored about this. Here is a video from Chanel about how the black fascinator is made — it’s hand-moulded. Lily-Rose Depp also wore it to the autumn/winter 2026 Chanel show.

Chanel Tab Jeans

Seen on Bhavitha in the opening look of the show, these have been Chanel’s strongest denim release in recent years. The cleaner, more minimalist design is definitely a departure from the house’s usual embellished or printed denim that we saw in Karl’s era. Requests have been high for both the straight and wide leg pairs across the UK and US in particular. Similar demand was seen with Celine’s Boyfriend jeans under Michael Rider, which sold out at the start of the year and feature the same understated logo tab on the back pocket.

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Chanel ponyhair shoes

The most requested item globally to date on Sourcewhere. All three silhouettes, the ballet flat, mid heel and high heel, have performed exceptionally well. The first requests came from LA-based creatives Christie Tyler and Jordan Risa, and all the three styles remained our most requested item for 12 consecutive weeks

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Hermès exotic leather bags

Demand for exotic leather Hermès continues to grow, particularly Constance and Kelly styles. As new-season bags edge towards five figures, vintage exotic leathers are becoming increasingly attractive. For only a small premium over a new leather bag, buyers can own a crocodile Hermès or Chanel with far greater rarity. A navy blue crocodile Constance is currently available on “Finds”, Sourcewhere’s section of the platform where items are available to shop immediately.

Note from ZW: A Constance has been on my dreamlist for over a decade.

The Row Idaho shoulder bag

Sold out almost immediately and remains one of the most requested bags of the summer, particularly in beige. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, as the original Idaho with the shorter handle sold through quickly, so we anticipated strong demand for this iteration.

The Row Ella slingback heels

First requested by clients in Australia before they had officially launched online. Both the mid and high heel versions continue to generate demand. A rare crocodile leather edition in red has become particularly sought after, retailing for more than €3,000. (The Row produces only a limited number of exotic leather shoes each season, making them especially difficult to source. Only select boutiques and retailers receive them).

Celine Disc sunglasses

Worn by Recho Omondi and featured on the latest cover of Neptune magazine, they sold out quickly and are now exceptionally difficult to find. The network recently located a pair in Miami Beach for a London-based request.

Note from ZW: I kind of want these sunglasses.

Chanel Maxi Flap Bag

Seen on Kendall Jenner. While the version worn by Hailey Bieber initially sparked demand, the Maxi Flap has become the more consistently requested item, particularly in dark red and beige. It comes in two sizes, but the larger 38cm version has been the more popular of the two.

Galliano-era fur-trimmed pieces

Archive designs from John Galliano’s time at Dior alongside Jean Paul Gaultier collections featuring fur trims, are seeing renewed interest. We’ve seen a rise in requests for both mid-length and cropped jacket iterations as prices have started to climb for the style

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Chanel x Charvet

Following Chanel’s acquisition of Charvet, requests for the Charvet collaboration shirts from Matthieu Blazy’s debut collection have risen by 40% as clients begin treating the pieces as future collectibles. The pink and pale blue versions, each finished with the Charvet label sewn onto the lower hem, are proving the most sought-after.

All of these pieces are available to request through Sourcewhere. Visit Sourcewhere.com or download the Sourcewhere app on the App Store.

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