A THRIFTY fashion fan has revealed how she has made a whopping £800k in just a few years by flogging second-hand clothing online.

Buying and selling pre-loved fashion has become a massive industry, with new sites popping up on a regular basis, included Vinted, Depop, eBay, as well as Facebook Marketplace.

But whilst some use it as a side hustle to make a bit of extra money, for others selling second-hand garments has turned into a business.

One of those to belong in the latter category is Isabella Vrana, 26.

From a hobby she started on Depop during time at university, she has since generated sales of a whopping £800k – and chatting to the BBC, she revealed there is no stopping any time soon.

According to the 26-year-old, who joined Depop eight years ago, it all started because of a shopping problem.

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Although the prices were ''really good'' as a lot of her wardrobe was second-hand, the then-student realised she could make profit by reselling the items.

While her fellow university pals were working in pubs or restaurants, Isabella was busy spending her weekends packaging up vintage clothes for customers, and even her mum helped here and there.

In-between lectures, the style fanatic would dash to the nearby post office to send them off.

After failing to get hired for a job as a professional fashion buyer, the graduate took the plunge and turned her once-hobby into a full-time role.

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"At the time I was thinking, 'I just want a boss and a pay cheque and holiday and sick pay','' she said, admitting that it was scary at first.

But looking back at her journey, the fashionista said she was ''really glad'' she went for it and loved being self-employed.

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Since the early days, the business has boomed too and Isabella now employs three people and has a shipping container/warehouse, as well as two studios where clothes are shipped, sorted, photographed and sent out to customers.

The success does not stop there either, as Isabella recently also started to sell vintage clothing to other online firms, and even hosts pop-up stores in New York, Dublin and Copenhagen.

Isabella said that there has been a huge shift in demand for pre-loved garments.

"It wasn't such a normal thing when I started so I've definitely seen an increase in people buying second hand to try and be more sustainable.''

Another aspect to keep in mind is the quality of vintage clothing, which tends to be better.

"These items are lasting decades and they're being worn as well. Take a vintage pair of jeans – I've got jeans with dry cleaning labels from the 1990s and they're still going so strong," Isabella added.

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