A treasure trove of vintage designer clothing and accessories is set to go under the hammer at a Solihull auction house.

Knowle-based auctioneers Bonhams is staging the vintage sale on Tuesday, as many shoppers think twice about splashing out on new designer clothes during the recession.

Organisers hope the sale, which includes brands such as Chanel, Hermes and Christian Dior, will give people a chance to own a piece of vintage couture clothing without the hefty price tag.

Fashion fans looking to emulate the eclectic style of Kate Moss and actress Sienna Miller will be able to bid on lots including Gucci handbags, Yves Saint Laurent jackets and a Hermes skirt.

The sale also includes a pair of vintage Chanel quilted handbags, a style which has recently been seen on the arm of celebrities such as singer Lily Allen.

Bonhams head of textiles Eleanor Keene said the sale was a chance for people to own vintage clothing for hundreds rather than thousands of pounds.

“Vintage fashion couldn’t be any more fashionable within the current economic climate,” she said.

“With magazines and the media putting the ‘make do and mend’ wartime mentality back into the public eye within the world of fashion and interiors, Bonham’s next auction of vintage textiles is a must for fashion lovers.”

Other lots up for sale include Christian Dior outfits from the 1960s and 70s, three Biba jackets with an estimate of £300-400, along with Mary Quant make-up sets which are expected to fetch £200-300.

The sale also includes a range of dresses dating back to the 1920s plus a wide selection of 1950s outfits.

Eleanor said that she hoped the current trend for vintage shopping would make the sale a success.

“The term vintage has been used like a fashionable buzz word to label second hand clothes of decades past for some time,” she added.

“With books published on how to buy it, TV programmes on how to wear it and celebrities who endorse it, what’s not to like?

“As for the clothes themselves, you often get a quality, well-made item with an air of romanticism for the past and which expresses individualism.”

The auction will be held at Bonhams on Station Road, Knowle, Solihull, from 9am to 11am.

Sale viewings will also take place on Saturday, from 9.30am to 12.30pm and on Monday, between 9am and 5pm. n For more information call 01564 776 151 or go to www.bonhams.com/textiles