The £45 'it' dress you've probably never heard of! Striped frock by Seasalt sparks eBay bidding wars that drive prices up by 350% - as shoppers praise the 'comfortable' summer style

• Shopper reported being outbid by 30 people for a striped dress by Seasalt
• The £45 striped frock is discontinued but is available second-hand on eBay  
• Other customers reported having similar experiences trying to buy the style 

Big name labels often spark shopping frenzies as fashion fans rush to get their hands on the latest designs. 

But its Cornwall-based brand Seasalt that has found itself at the centre of bidding wars on eBay.  

An anonymous woman took to British parenting forum Mumsnet to reveal she had been repeatedly outbid when trying to buy the £45 Mill Pool dress. 

The dress, which comes in a number of prints as well as both short and long sleeves, is no longer available to buy from retailers but often comes up for sale on the online marketplace.

Writing on the website, the woman explained she was outbid more than 30 times on her most recent attempt and that it had happened 'a number of times previously'. 

One current eBay listing for a Mill Pool dress shows there has been a 350 per cent increase on the original price - up from £3.99 to £13.99. 

Another has seen a 150 per cent increase in price from £10 to £15.

There are several available to buy, including the original short-sleeved stripe version that the Mumnset user wanted. Other listings offer a short-sleeved floral version and a long-sleeved stripe.  

In response to the Mumsnet poster's question about why the dress is so 'sought after', several other users responded to praise the quality and comfort of Seasalt designs.

Others said that the easy-to-wear cut of the dress - a simple tunic with pockets around the hip - meant it could suit a range of body types. 

Another common explanation was that the dress' original price might not be affordable to many, while the eBay reductions - between £3-£20 - are.  

One posted: 'I know Seasalt is a sought after label and that style dress is surprisingly flattering whilst also hiding a multitude of sins. I can see why that might make it popular.'

Another added: 'Seasalt's quality is very good and the original price is higher than say m and s prices. Their clothes wash well and are cut well in my opinion.

'People who might be snapping them up on ebay know what they cost brand new and/or really into recycling/conscious shopping so you see more intense bidding on them.' 

However it was far from unanimous praise for the dress and some users were left confused by the dress' popularity, saying it looked 'shapeless' and 'unflattering'.

One posted: 'Really? It looks like a baggy sack type dress. I can't imagine that being flattering on anyone'.