From affordable vintage and designer resale to community-led clothing swaps, Sara Darling explores the second-hand shopping scenes of Eindhoven and The Hague.
The last time I visited the Netherlands, I was chasing the pop art scene. This time, I was hunting for bargains and the stories that came with them. In short, I was on a shopping mission with a group of girlfriends.
I have been preaching the virtues of pre-loved fashion for decades, so I was glad to see how visible it has become in the Netherlands. Circular business models are increasingly present across the country’s fashion industry, and I travelled to two Dutch cities, Eindhoven and The Hague, to explore their second-hand scenes first-hand.
A swift Eurostar journey (from London St Pancras International direct to Rotterdam Centraal) brought me to Rotterdam by lunchtime. From there, a train took me to Eindhoven, a city better known to designers than tourists in the country’s south-east. Once defined by electronics company Philips, Eindhoven has repurposed much of its industrial legacy for the creative industries. Designers and makers draw international attention to the city each October during Dutch Design Week.
Although it was my first visit, I immediately felt at ease in this walkable and cycle-friendly city. Neighbourhoods such as Strijp-S, the revitalised former Philips industrial site, and Nieuw Bergen offered plenty of nightlife within a short walk of our hotel. The city centre, filled with independent boutiques and unexpected finds, provided two full days of thrifting.
Where to shop for vintage clothing in Eindhoven
We arrived at the beginning of a summer heatwave with suitcases that, in hindsight, should have been at least 30% bigger. Undeterred by the warmth, we set out on a private walking tour of Eindhoven’s vintage and pre-loved stores, ready to revel in polyester.
As vintage enthusiasts with favourite eras and distinct tastes, we found plenty to excite us among the 1980s shoulder pads, 1960s miniskirts, silky blouses, vintage kimonos and outrageous flares. Within minutes, we were elbow-deep in rails of sequins, suede and silk, holding pieces up for each other like excitable magpies.
The plan was simple: spend a few days exploring Eindhoven’s second-hand scene with a local guide. The reality involved cries of “You have to try this on”, followed by someone inevitably emerging from a changing room dressed like an extra from Dynasty, a sassy geography teacher or a children’s television presenter.
Unlike vintage shopping in some cities, where finding something worthwhile can feel like hard work, Eindhoven rewards curiosity. The shops are thoughtfully curated rather than chaotic, the owners are genuinely keen to chat, and there is none of the gatekeeping that can make vintage shopping feel intimidating. Everyone seems delighted to find someone else who loves old clothes as much as they do.
YATVA Vintage
Our first stop was YATVA Vintage at Kleine Berg 7 in the city centre, where the atmosphere was unpretentious and the soundtrack suitably cool.
Owner Yetunde Olusanya swapped Notting Hill for the Netherlands after years of selling vintage in London, bringing with her a keen eye for pieces that deserve another outing. Her shop is filled with garments that feel less like cast-offs and more like future favourites: soft leather jackets, immaculate denim, sharp tailoring and dresses that have survived decades yet look better than much of what is available on today’s high street.
All Vintage
All Vintage buys and resells pre-loved pieces, specialising in clothes with plenty of life left in them. The large, airy shop was already busy when we arrived, with everyday brands sitting alongside a strong selection of affordable vintage. It is a useful stop for shoppers who prefer accessible prices and wearable pieces rather than exclusively high-end designer labels.
Leverage
Across the city, Leverage attracts a different crowd. Hidden inside the Heuvel shopping centre, it is where fashion-conscious locals search for sought-after labels from the 1990s and early 2000s, including Acne Studios, Stone Island and Burberry, without paying full retail prices. The rails change quickly, rewarding repeat visits and patient browsing. There are also DJ decks and a wall of trainers for dedicated sneakerheads.
Piet Hein Eek
A detour for lunch took us to the showroom of Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek. Housed inside another repurposed industrial building, the complex includes a hotel, shop, warehouse and restaurant. It is the kind of place where you wander in intending to admire a chair and emerge 30 minutes later wondering whether a reclaimed oak sideboard can be posted home.
I was particularly drawn to the large reclaimed timber dining tables and sideboards. However, the promise of lunch, followed by more suitcase-friendly shopping, meant we eventually had to move on.
Frankie’s Favorites
Frankie’s Favorites (pictured top) was our next stop. Franka herself was like the cool friend whose wardrobe you would happily borrow forever. She also has an adorable dog, seemingly unfazed by the squeals that accompany the discovery of a pair of Gucci trainers in exactly the right size. Anyone familiar with international designer labels should allow plenty of time for a thorough rummage. There are well-priced finds from high-end brands, often with reassuringly un-designer price tags.
The shop looks closer to a Bond Street boutique than a traditional charity shop, and many of the clothes appear barely worn. With colour-coded rails and plenty of natural light for trying things on, it is dangerously easy to convince yourself that a Paul & Joe blazer or a Celine silk shirt qualifies as a sensible holiday purchase.
Second Floor Vintage
Not every Eindhoven vintage shop focuses on designer labels. Second Floor, a local institution for more than 35 years, specialises in affordable vintage. It is the sort of place where you pop in “just for a look” and leave with a jacket you suddenly cannot imagine living without.
Nine Lives Vintage
Nine Lives Vintage, with its sunny yellow frontage, also encourages extended browsing. Owner Joni handpicks its pieces, and a €1 rail helps keep lower-priced clothes within the circular system rather than leaving them unsold.
Second-hand shopping in The Hague
After two days of shopping and socialising, it was time to move on to The Hague and see how its second-hand scene compared.
An early train carried us across the country to a city known for its extensive green spaces, coastline and increasingly visible focus on more sustainable ways of living. The city also produces a shopping route guide mapping independent vintage and lifestyle stores.
While Eindhoven feels driven by designers and makers, The Hague offers a slower style of shopping. Many of its best second-hand stores are clustered around Hofkwartier and Zeeheldenkwartier, making it easy to spend an afternoon moving between vintage clothing, independent boutiques, mid-century furniture and Y2K denim.
There is little pressure to buy. Shopkeepers appear as happy to discuss where something came from as they are to ring it through the till.
Little Green Shop
In Zeeheldenkwartier, Little Green Shop is the sort of place where you pop in for a houseplant and leave half an hour later discussing composting, vintage lamps and refillable cleaning products. Its combination of plants, interiors and lower-waste household products reflects The Hague’s broader interest in community-minded and circular ways of shopping.
SWAPS
Nearby, SWAPS encourages customers to bring in clothes they no longer wear in return for a discount on another purchase. The model makes it easier for unwanted clothing to remain in circulation, although it also makes ‘just one more’ addition to the suitcase surprisingly easy to justify.
My Lima Lima
Then there is My Lima Lima, founded by Elise van Oranje, who demonstrates how polished charity retail can be. Inside, carefully presented pieces by Missoni, Giorgio Armani, ETRO and Essentiel Antwerp give the shop the appearance of a high-end boutique, while its charitable model offers another reason to browse.
Appel & Ei
My favourite, though, was Appel & Ei. Tucked away on Papestraat, this bright consignment store has a loyal local following and stock that moves quickly. Blink, and the Nudie Jeans you were debating may already be slung over somebody else’s arm, which only adds to the thrill of the hunt.
Why second-hand shopping works in the Netherlands
Perhaps that is the real lesson from shopping in the Netherlands. Buying second-hand is not always treated as a moral victory or a sacrifice. It is simply another way to shop. Clothes are worn, repaired, passed on and loved again. By the end of our trip, we had all found something completely different, yet every purchase came with a story. Somehow, that made each piece feel worth far more than anything fresh from a production line.
FIND OUT MORE
Is Eindhoven good for vintage shopping?
Eindhoven has a varied second-hand scene that ranges from affordable vintage and everyday resale to carefully curated designer clothing. Many shops are located in or close to the city centre.
Where are the best second-hand shops in The Hague?
Several second-hand and lifestyle shops can be found around the Hofkwartier and Zeeheldenkwartier neighbourhoods. Stores visited for this article included Little Green Shop, SWAPS, My Lima Lima and Appel & Ei.
What is the difference between vintage shopping in Eindhoven and The Hague?
Eindhoven’s second-hand scene feels closely connected to the city’s design and industrial identity, with a mixture of curated vintage, designer resale and affordable clothing. The Hague offers a slower, neighbourhood-led experience combining fashion, interiors and community-minded retail.
Can you travel between Eindhoven and The Hague by train?
The two cities are connected by the Dutch rail network. Journey times, routes and ticket information should be checked before travelling.
Planning a second-hand shopping trip
Travel
The journey was made by Eurostar, followed by domestic rail connections within the Netherlands.
Visitor information
Further information about visiting the Netherlands can be found here.
Vintage and second-hand shops in Eindhoven
Design in Eindhoven
Second-hand shops in The Hague
