Buying second-hand has shaken off its fusty image to become one of fashion’s hottest trends.

As people become aware of the hidden costs of fast fashion, from the working conditions of the people employed in textile factories, to the environmental impact of the production process and the garments which are thrown away and sent to landfill, many of us are trying to shop more sustainably and mindfully.

Philippa Rudd, who runs online pre-loved designer womenswear business Matisa Market from her Suffolk home, certainly believes that there is “a fashion revolution afoot”.

Working for two of the biggest fashion houses in the world, Gucci and Gianni Versace, gave Philippa a deep appreciation of the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into designer garments.

She has also been shopping second-hand for decades: in her 20s, London’s Portobello Market was a favourite haunt.

For 19 years she lived in Portugal where, alongside her day job (she was honorary consul for the British Embassy out there), she ran a wardrobe service for clients, sourcing items for them and de-cluttering their wardrobes and selling their unwanted pieces on eBay.

Six years ago, Philippa returned to the UK and her home county of Suffolk, with the idea of launching a business selling beautifully curated, pre-loved designer clothing.

Phillipa opened a boutique in Woodbridge, which she ran for a year before taking Matisa Market online and onto Instagram.

“In my 20s, I worked for Gucci for a number of years in London, latterly I was in the press office, and I also worked for a year for Gianni Versace in Miami, so that’s where I got my appreciation of beautiful designer clothing and the out-there styles,” she says.

“When I worked for Gucci I would go to the factory in Italy and see how the pieces were made,” she says.

“I was there when Tom Ford came in [as creative director] and he rejuvenated the brand. I got to meet him and he was just a powerhouse.”

At the same time as working for Gucci, Philippa also loved scouring vintage markets for pre-loved jeans and cashmere sweaters.

And shopping second-hand is something that is now much more mainstream.

“The re-sale market is growing 11 times faster than the new fashion market,” says Philippa. “I’ve noticed a huge change in the last couple of years and that shopping pre-loved has become very much almost the first choice rather than buying new, I feel. A lot of my clients have really embraced it and got on board with it.”

Sustainability is at the heart of what Phillipa does, and she recently took part in a panel with Dr Martens and Bamboo Clothing, which discussed the pre-loved market and fashion rental, something she is going to move into this spring.

She’s had support from high profile names in the fashion world who live locally, including Erica Davies, Kay Prestney at Kinship Creative, Claudia Berresford and Ciara Elliott.

And she was thrilled when stylist and influencer Kat Farmer, of Does My Bum Look 40?, got in touch.

“She messaged me out of the blue – having her putting what you do out there was phenomenal,” says Philippa.

Most of her stock is pre-loved and vintage designer, but she also stocks a selection of sustainable brands.

She stocks Fund Jumpers (you might have seen their cheeky slogan sweaters worn by the likes of Fearne Cotton on Instagram) and buys their samples and deadstock. For every jumper sold they donate 100 meals to children in poverty.

The Colombia Collective Wayuu Bags are made by people living in indigenous artisan communities across Colombia.

And firmly of the belief that given the right care quality fashion can and should last a lifetime, Philippa also sells upcycled, quirky iron-patches to repair and restore cashmere clothing.

As well as selling pieces, through Matisa Market, Philippa offers a wardrobe decluttering and buying service for clients in Norfolk, Suffolk and London, which she calls ‘wardrobe encouragement’.

And soon clients will be able to rent designer pieces too.

“It’s going to be elevated day wear and occasion wear, so I’ve got beautiful dresses by Isabel Marant, Vilshenko, DVF, Balmain, Self Portrait, Borgo de Nor, Ridley London, Chloe, Gucci, Blaze Milano, Veronica Beard, Emilia Wickstead and Valentino. Those are just a selection,” says Philippa.

“People buy these beautiful dresses and to wear them once is heartbreaking, so it’s good to just keep them in circulation.”

When she’s helping people to curate their wardrobes and selling pieces for them, Philippa describes it as a “privilege”.

“I feel a duty of care, like a concierge,” she says. “It’s always a privilege to have these pieces entrusted to you and to see them on their way. There’s often an emotional attachment to them and you have to treat them with respect.

“I’m a little adverse to the idea of a wardrobe detox, because it implies that you’ve brought in toxic things to your closet, which I think is no-one's intention ever!

“It’s more about going through things, perhaps re-working them, wearing them in different ways. It creates a safe space for people to go through and evaluate what’s working for them and what’s not, if they still really like it or archiving it.

“Or perhaps they need altering. I work with a lovely seamstress, Milli’s Sewing Studio, who’s in Martlesham and I do a lot of things with her,” she says.

Philippa says that the greatest joy of her work is seeing pieces given a new lease of life.

“I love it when you have a client who brings in a beautiful vintage piece and then I see a gorgeous 20-something woman trying it on and she’s wearing it in a very contemporary way and it still looks relevant.

“Fashion is so circular and it normally has a 15-year cycle, so things do always come back in. If they’re really beautifully made and beautiful fabric, then they are relevant and it’s good to keep them in circulation - and that’s something I feel really strongly about.”

See Matisa Market online at matisamarket.com or follow on Instagram @matisamarket