“I snagged a pair of never-worn Costume National shoes, a Burberry blazer, some Vanessa Bruno cotton trousers and a vintage mink coat. It wouldn’t surprise me if I found a pair of Blahniks or Louboutins!” says PJ Gach, a music reviewer and self-confessed fashion addict, referring to her finds at Freemeets, a new way of swapping unwanted but still fashionable clothes.

Almost perfectly tailored for the current belt-tightening economic climate and the drive towards greener lifestyles , Freemeets, which started in 2005, is effectively an opportunity to benefit – for free – from another person’s cast-offs. It was founded by Christina Salvi, director of the New York City branch of Freecycle.org, an online messageboard where people can post, item by item, things that they no longer want .