Could your local charity shop be harbouring Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, or even Gucci?

To celebrate Reading being dubbed the 14th best place in the UK for thrifting, The Chronicle visited the charity shops in the town centre to chat with the staff about what kind of stuff they get in.

We first visited Cancer Research on Broad Street and spoke with manager Stacey Clayton and long-time volunteer Glennys Connell.

Stacey Clayton told us that the shop takes in some great stock, with one man recently donating 15 Ralph Lauren shirts in every colour.

She also told us that they often get in brands like Whistles, Gant, Joules, and Hugo Boss.

“The shop was failing when I first started,” she told us. “But now the quality of stock has increased. I pay a lot of attention to our window display – and even grow my own plants!”

We asked Glennys Connell about the importance of second-hand fashion, and she said: “Why spend 15 quid on a blouse in M&S when you can get something even better for three pounds?”

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The Chronicle then visited The British Heart Foundation a couple of doors down and spoke to store manager Olivia Vaz, a local to Reading who has worked there for 6 years.

“We’ve got a lot of loyal customers, and we get in some great stock,” she said. “From Primark to branded designer wear. We even sometimes get in Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana.”

The third charity shop that The Chronicle visited was Cancer Research on Friar Street.

We spoke to staff member Emily Cook who said: “We do get designer stuff coming in and try and give it a good price so the average customer can afford it.”

When rifling through the bargains, we found a Tommy Hilfiger jumper for under £10 and a Ralph Lauren polo shirt for £6.50. The store also displayed a Calvin Klein coat in almost new condition.