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A woman who bought a $5.5K cashmere cape for just $7.99 from the thrift store says she saves $15k-a-year on designer clothes by rummaging through the rails.
Anna Gantt, 26, started out as a model aged 14 and has starred in campaigns for Savage X Fenty, American Eagle and Free People.
Her background in fashion instilled a love of clothing in Anna and she developed a passion for hunting for designer items at a discounted price in the thrift store rather than boutiques.
Anna estimates she saves around $15K every year on designer clothes she has found in thrift stores.
Some of her bargains include a $5.5K Loro Piana cashmere cape she found for $7.99, a pair of $2.2K Prada boots for $170 and an Escada fox fur coat she bought for $699 that retails for $4.3K.
Anna, a model and content creator, from Shreveport, Louisiana, US, said: “Every year I will let myself spend $5K on myself — 95 percent of that will be second hand.
“I will not go into Gucci or Dior, I save around $15K a year.
“I will be going to the Real Rail, Depop, eBay, I utilize everything online that I can, as well as in-person thrifting.”
Anna said she was raised with the mindset that “you are never too good to wear someone’s quality piece” and you can find a lot of designer clothes that are discounted or second-hand.
She said: “If you can find luxury that you want in your wardrobe then why wouldn’t you buy it discounted or second hand?
“My parents told me that you are never too good to wear someone’s quality piece.
“I have always been that way and my parents are that way.
“I remember meeting girls in modeling who didn’t understand the thrifting world.”
In December 2024, Anna was out thrifting with her mom and visited Treasures, in Longview, Texas.
Anna went into the store with the aim of finding a cape or poncho to wear, she was searching the rails when she stumbled across a cashmere cape.
She said: “I specifically didn’t go in there looking for brand names or tags.
“I am so familiar with fabrics and I have been in so many fabrics, I can tell what is a natural fibre piece.
“When I touched the cape, I knew it was special.”
Anna took a look at the tag and saw that it was a Loro Piana cashmere cape that usually retails around $5.5K on sale for $7.99.
She said she was “ecstatic” and couldn’t wait to try it on.
Anna said: “It was towards the end of the day after we had been thrifting all day.
“I texted my mom saying she will never guess what I have found and I was so excited to have finally found a cape as it was on my mind all day.
“Mind you, I didn’t think I would find a cashmere Loro Piana cape.
“I was ecstatic, I wore it at Christmas to show my family and I got a round of applause for my find.”
This is not the first time Anna has found designer clothes for a stellar price.
In the past, she has found Valentino, Prada and Escada.
She said: “Lord, I have found some amazing pieces.
“I found some Prada boots for $170, and I sold them for $700.
“I made a profit on those and they retail around $2.2K.
“I found an Escada fox fur coat for $699 and that retailed at $4.3K.”
