Laila Rodriguez
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – This Sunday 16 October the largest second-hand items sale takes place at the Sacre Coeur Church in Plainpalais from 13:00 to 17:00.
Bikes, roller blades, snow boards, skis, books in English (and French, German and Spanish) for children and adults, video games, DVDs, hundreds of toys and board games, strollers, cribs and top quality baby equipment, as well as clothing and shoes for children and women, can be found under one roof.
If you are new in town and have never been to one of the bi-annual sales, think of reading our survival and reference guide to the sale before heading there.
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Laila Rodriguez
Batiment de forces motrices where the fashion show will be hosted
Geneva, Switzerland - On 8 October Geneva meets vintage, meets fashion, meets charity.
Four charity organizations, the Salvation Army, CSP, Caritas and Emmaus; and the Geneva School of Arts and Design (HEAD), are hosting a vintage-inspired runway show with DJs, tango and the superb Geneva-based electronic duo Aloan.
The “Frip & Chic,” as the event is called will be hosted at the beautiful Bâtiment des Forces Motrices over the Rhone river.
All the dresses presented during the evening are original designs made with fabrics originating from second-hand clothes collected at the non-for-profit boutiques.
Laila Rodriguez
The time of the year to buy and sell to your heart's content
Geneva, Switzerland – The incredible Sotheby’s sale this past week took most of my shopping attention, but after seeing up close those 6- to 52-carat diamonds and rare watches going for millions of dollars, I decided to turn my short attention span to another kind of more affordable vintage shopping: flea markets.
This weekend 15-16 May, the City of Geneva begins its neighborhood parties and flea-markets labeled under the city-is-yours slogan or la ville est a vous. Anyone who is not a professional seller can go early, throw down a blanket or set up a stall, and sell his/her “own vintage collection” and I mean, anything in your vintage collection. The space is free.
Grottes, first fair:
Laila Rodriguez
Bargain shopping in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland – Two semi-annual kids’ consignment sales are taking place in the Lake Geneva region this weekend 17 and 18 April.
This is a fun, smart way to buy and sell (although it is now too late to register as a seller) kids’ toys, clothes, baby and sports equipment, books, DVDs and even some pregnancy clothes.
Laila Rodriguez
Preparing the big weekend sale
Geneva, Switzerland – Vintage handbags, designer suits & dresses – think Dior, Chanel, and American brands – will be for sale this weekend in Geneva and for a good cause: the Salvation Army-sponsored programs in Geneva and French-speaking Switzerland.
On Saturday 13 March the otherwise low-key store becomes a brand name vintage seller, so prepare to shop starting at 10:00.
Laila Rodriguez
List updated 11 March 2011
Vintage shopping around Lake Geneva - Photo Ellen Wallace
Geneva, Switzerland – Welcome to Geneva Living’s own list of vintage clothing stores around Geneva. Not every consignment store in Geneva is listed here. This is a selection of well-known private stores that sell higher-end items. Most of this stores accept your clothing for sale on consignment, including a couple of charity-run stores.
If you are looking for lower-end clothing and household items, see my post: Second hand/thrift stores in Geneva and Lausanne.
Women’s clothing
Laila Rodriguez
Geneva's street parties begin
One of my favorite events in Geneva is without a doubt, the Ville est-a-vous, or loosely translated, the town belongs to you.
The concept is simple: the streets in Geneva are public spaces that belong to the people at large who may use them to express and enjoy themselves.
For the sixth consecutive year, the City through neighborhood associations, is organizing outdoor parties and flea markets in designated streets.
Nine neighborhoods invite city residents, to set up shop in the streets, and to sell everything from bicycle parts to old Christmas ornaments. Show up early, street space is free and is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Laila Rodriguez
The largest second-hand children’s clothing and toys sale in Lake Geneva
International children's clothing sale
Geneva, Switzerland – This is the mother of all second-hand sales in the Lake Geneva region. Bikes, roller blades, camping- or snow-equipment, books in English for children and adults, video games, DVDs, toys, board games, strollers and top quality baby equipment, as well as clothing for children and women, can be found under one roof, twice a year in Geneva.
This is not for the faint of heart.
On sale day, would-be shoppers form a frenzied line stretching out the front door and around the block, waiting for the doors to open.
At 1 pm, the shopping craze begins.
The most experienced shoppers go directly for the things they want or need. Less experienced shoppers are bumped to and fro by the mass of people swarming around them.