Why We Rebranded: A Note From the Founders

When we started Messina Hembry back in 2012, the goal was simple: make second-hand easier to buy. At the time, your options were limited to digging through Brick Lane rails or finding your local charity shop. We wanted to break the idea that great second-hand was only for those who knew “where to look,” so we launched our online store and opened it up to everyone.

That was our first chapter.

Over ten years later, the second-hand landscape has exploded. It’s louder, faster, busier. What used to be a handful of vintage shops is now a global industry. And while access is no longer the problem, what’s been lost is the appreciation and value behind second-hand, what it means to society, to culture, and to the people wearing it.

We’ve never seen second-hand as second-best. Garments with history have power, so we’ve spent a decade sourcing, processing and authenticating clothing. We bring them back to life and restore the value in something that was otherwise lost. And this rebrand is our way of saying: second-hand has worth.

We don’t just sell clothes, we preserve them, reframe them and put them back in circulation because great pieces shouldn’t disappear into someone’s attic or landfill. They should live on.

The new Messina Hembry is built around this idea - we haven’t changed what we do, we’ve simply clarified why we do it.

Whether you’ve been with us from the early days or discovered us last week, we’re grateful. This rebrand isn’t just about a new look, it’s about the future we want to build together.

A future where great clothes never go to waste.
A future where an archive of restored pieces stays open to all.

Because we are not a fashion house, we are a house of fashion.

Josh & Zac
Founders, Messina Hembry