By TESS ASTLE

Op shop bargains have become harder to find, a senior costumer designer says, with at least one Melbourne store charging up to $300 for vintage clothing.

Film costume designer Kerri Mazzocco, who has professionally relied on op shops for more than 30 years, said Northcote’s St Vincent De Paul was selling $165 coats and $300 dresses.

“There is nothing charitable about these new high prices,” Ms Mazzocco said.

She said op shops today were “turning away people that really need clothing”.

But op shop volunteer Melissa Duque said higher prices and  the increased popularity of op shops was helping charities better provide for people in need. 

In 2015, the St Vincent De Paul annual report said Vinnies shops generated enough income to fund the increased welfare demands placed on the charity.

Ms Mazzocco said customer demographics had changed in recent years, with inner-city stores now catering for hipsters and vintage shoppers rather than those from low-income households.

“Where once there were lots of diverse and quality items for the disadvantaged, we now see things out of reach for the intended op shop buyer.”

“The culture has changed – op shops today are more like businesses,” Ms Mazzocco said.

Ms Mazzocco, who said she had relied on op shops for cheap and well worn clothing for use in films, said she was saddened stores intended for everyone were no longer accessible to many.

“Op shops receive everything for free, so that should be reflected in the prices and bring balance for all,” she said.

New boutique branches of op shops in Melbourne’s inner-city have prioritised middle-class shoppers over people who cannot afford to shop new.

“It seems to me that Vinnies and Salvos are more focused on pleasing the customers with deep pockets than those in need,”  Ms Mazzocco said.

St Vincent volunteer and researcher Melissa Duque said raising prices to reflect more affluent customers was a step forward.

“There are a lot of very trendy hipsters looking for vintage items who are prepared to pay more for quality and uniqueness,” Ms Duque said.

“It’s becoming more popular and competitive and Vinnies is now valuing items based on their brand, quality and worth.”

Ms Duque said the increased popularity of op shops as well as the increased prices had been a great thing for  charities, with a chain like St Vincent enjoying a 19 per cent boost in sales over last year’s figures.

“Vinnies and other op shops serve a whole lot of purposes that are much more diverse than cheap clothing for people who can’t afford market price,” Ms Duque said.

The Salvation Army’s retail revenue contributed $20m to help Aussies in need in 2015.

Op shopping has become an ethical addiction for many Melburnians and this helped the community overall, Ms Duque said.

Melbourne’s vintage obsession was “consumption that is contributing to help Australians in need”, she said.