Every piece we sell is pre-owned and most are decades old. The grade is a summary — the condition notes on each listing describe that specific garment, and any flaw significant enough to affect how it looks when worn is described there and photographed.

Excellent — Unworn or as-new, including deadstock pieces with original tags. No marking, thinning, pulls or repairs found on inspection.

Great — Very minor wear from occasional use: standard wear expected from pre-loved items. Nothing that draws the eye when worn.

Good — Visible wear appropriate to the age of the piece: light marking, some colour fading, some fabric pulls, or a small repair. Entirely wearable as it is.

Ascensio Vintage is an online boutique specialising in curated, high-fashion vintage and pre-loved designer clothing and accessories. We focus on sustainable fashion, offering authentic pieces from iconic designers like Chanel, Versace, and Vivienne Westwood, hand-picked for their quality, style, and historical significance. Our origins are in the West Midlands of England, where our owner began collecting vintage pieces as a personal hobby, eventually turning this hobby into a full time job and setting up Ascensio as a business.

Yes, sustainability is at the heart of Ascensio Vintage. By curating pre-loved and vintage pieces, we promote circular fashion, reducing waste and extending the life of high-quality garments. Our packaging is eco-friendly, using recyclable and/or re-used materials.

We are based in Shropshire, England, the home county of our founder. We are soon to open up our studio space, appointment only, located in the heart of Shrewsbury, for our customers who may want to try before they buy. 

Yes! It's one of our favourite ways to spend a weekend. Our founder often works with Known Source and Second Life Markets at their events in London, alongside online marketplaces such as Peekaboo, Via Platform and ShopStorage. We are also on search engines such as Gem and KurbOnline. 

From our founder: 

'Vintage shopping is so fun, searching through rails and websites to find something unique and just for you. This is the beauty of vintage. Each item has its own story - where might it have come from? Who has worn it? Where has it been and what has it seen? A pretty top may have been worn to make the best holiday memories. A dress may have been tailored for an engagement. The likelihood is, we won't know. And that's the interesting part. Not only are vintage items often made with better quality and care, meaning they have lasted longer, but we can dream the answers to all of those questions. Not to mention, the world could do with some more care and consideration when it comes to textiles. The amount of waste produced each year is astounding. By shopping sustainably, we're helping reduce it just a little more. In a world of fast fashion, we aim to encourage every to slow right down. Don't jump on a trend. Have a wardrobe that is full of unique pieces spanning different decades and designers. Be fun and dress to the tune of your own heart by shopping vintage.'

Yes, we ship worldwide! Shipping times vary by location. UK orders typically arrive within 3-5 business days, while international orders may take 7-21 days. We keep shipping prices as low as we possibly can, however if you have ordered internationally and your country of residence charges you customs fees, that is not covered by us and is to be paid by the buyer.

We authenticate items through a rigorous process, examining labels, stitching, hardware, and historical design details. Our team cross-references pieces with archival records and works with industry experts to ensure every designer item is genuine.

All items are in excellent to very good condition unless otherwise stated. We provide detailed descriptions and photos, noting wear or imperfections, as these are part of the charm and history of vintage pieces. 

48-hour return window

If you wish to return an item, you must notify us at hello@ascensiovintage.com within 48 hours of your parcel being marked as delivered, and the item must be dropped at a post office or carrier point within that same 48 hours. We’ll need proof of postage showing the date.

Items not lodged with a carrier inside the 48-hour window won’t be accepted for return.

We’ve narrowed this window from our previous policy because a number of customers were treating purchases as free hire — wearing pieces to events and returning them afterwards. As a single-operator business dealing in one-of-a-kind archive pieces, that isn’t something we can absorb, and it isn’t fair on the customers buying in good faith.

Return postage:

Return postage is at your cost. Returns must be sent tracked and adequately insured — items lost or damaged in transit remain your responsibility until they reach us. You must email us to obtain the return address.

Where an item arrives damaged in transit or materially differs from its listing, we cover return postage in full.

Condition on return:

Items must be returned unworn, unwashed, free of scent, cosmetics and smoke, and with the security tag attached and intact. Removing the tag indicates the item has been worn.

Where an item shows clear signs of having been worn — marking, scent, or damage not present at dispatch — that deduction may be substantial or, in serious cases, the full value of the item.

Refunds:

Refunds are issued to your original payment method within 14 days of the returned item reaching us and being inspected. We’ll confirm by email once processed.

In-person sales:

Items bought at markets, fairs or private appointments are sold as seen and are final sale, as you’ve had the opportunity to examine the piece in person.

This policy does not affect your statutory rights.

Care instructions are usually on the label of each item. Generally, we recommend dry cleaning for delicate or designer pieces and gentle hand-washing for others. Avoid harsh chemicals to preserve the fabric and historical integrity of your vintage find.

Absolutely! We are always looking to source new pieces for our shop. If you have anything in your possession that you are wanting to give a new home, that you think may suit our shop, you can use the 'Sell To Us' page to contact us with details of your piece. Our team will then review it and get back to you with the next steps if we deem it a good match for our shop. We can do commission based listings or buy outright. 

Once your order has been placed, the order cannot be cancelled. Once the order is safely in your hands, if you are not happy with it - for example the clothes do not fit, they have been damaged in transport - you have 14 days to raise a problem with our team. Returns and exchanges are subjective to circumstance and not automatically approved. Please see our Returns FAQ for more. 

Sure! If you think we may be able to help you find a specific item you are after, please reach out to us at info@ascensiovintage.com where we can help find what you're after. It is not guaranteed we will be able to do so, but we do have access to some great contacts that makes it a lot easier for you. 

Unfortunately there are times where third party companies let us down. If your order is delayed, it cannot be cancelled as it will already be in the postal or freight portals. We do our absolute best to make sure domestic parcels are with you within a week, and international within 3-4 weeks. Sometimes this does not go to plan if there are postal service issues or geopolitical factors that are beyond our control, hence why we cannot cancel the order. However, once received, see our returns policy for more information. 

Follow us on Instagram @ascensiovintage for sneak peeks and exclusive drops. Sign up for our newsletter on www.ascensiovintage.com to get first access to new collections and promotions.

Currently, we are online only. However, we will soon be opening up our studio space to customers that book an appointment. To do so, please r3ach out to info@ascensiovintage.com for updates. We can't wait to show you - but the space is currently having a makeover!