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By Melissa Fleur Afshar
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A Reddit user was left "truly shocked" after stumbling upon a high-end fashion item priced at just $5 while browsing the aisles of their local Goodwill, sparking a wave of admiration—and scrutiny—on the platform.
The post, shared to Reddit's r/thriftstorehauls community on September 22 by u/sarabellproductions, featured an image of a detailed mid-length skirt from the Los Angeles-based luxury fashion brand Cult Gaia. The item's price tag: just $5. According to the post's caption, the skirt originally retailed for $2,689.
"I was truly shocked when I saw the price," the Reddit user wrote in the comments section; "amazing find," they added.
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The post quickly gained traction on the platform, drawing more than 3,000 upvotes and a flurry of comments.
The image showed the intricate garment laid out on a bed, with a non-returnable tag attached—an indicator that the item had not been worn out or damaged by a previous owner. Viewers praised the rare thrift-store discovery, which stood out not only for its luxurious brand and original price point, but also for the seemingly pristine condition in which it was found.
Comments poured in from fellow thrift enthusiasts, many of whom shared their own stories of scoring high-value items for a fraction of their retail prices.
"I thrifted from the bins a Frye purse that had a tag with a Nordstrom return label on it," one viewer shared. "I brought it to Nordstrom and said it was a gift from ages ago and I'd never used it.
"I didn't get the full retail price, but I got maybe $80 in store credit at Nordstrom and I bought a Dyptique candle with it."
"A bargain and a very nice find," another added.
"So cute love the metal embellishments on the slit," a third said.
Yet not all responses were celebratory. The post sparked a side discussion about retail pricing and manufacturing ethics. Several users questioned how the skirt could be priced so high, especially if it was produced overseas by a newer, mid-level luxury brand.
"I'm just wondering why it would cost that much in the first place," one viewer said. "Happy for you!"
"Mostly [because] of the brand name," another said. "The skirt looks stunning though. I remember watching an Antiques Roadshow clip of a Faberge brooch that had a material value of ~$40, but because it was made by Faberge, the resale value was around $8000. Absolutely bonkers."
"For that price, I would expect pattern matching at the seams and not made in China (unless they genuinely and verifiably are paying a fair wage)," a third user commented. "Ain't no way. I have made skirts just like that one and it's child's play. Literally one of the first garments most female sewists will make."
"That's a lot of money for Cult Gaia," one commenter said. "They're a mid-priced luxury brand I've never seen their separates priced that high! $300-1200 is their price range."
Despite the mixed response, the skirt's new owner said that the item feels "textured and quality."
Newsweek reached out to u/sarabellproductions for more information via Reddit.
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