Collection: DROP 17 | THE FUTURE OF SECOND HAND
Second-Hand clothing is nothing new when it comes to (high) society. It doesn’t matter if we talk about the lower economic classes who used to depend on it to be dressed or the royal courts. Court dresses used to be handed down, altered for others and even used as currencies. Only with easier access to off-the-shelf fabrics and clothes did second-hand fashion get a negative image. Back when clothes were worn for long periods of time the stigma of being cheap looking and worn, as well as being outdated or damaged often were true.
However, in recent years, flea markets and musty little shops have given way to online C2C platforms. There are typical C2C platforms like Ebay or Vestiaire, concierge services offered on websites like Rebelle and specialized resellers for a brand or product. A continuously growing number of fast fashion players such as H&M with their own website Sellpy, online retailers like Zalando with an integrated second-hand range, and luxury brands collaborating with established platforms allow the market to continue its growth. In the luxury segment, the big names are also giving the segment more and more credibility. Taking a look at their approaches three are standing out the most. Firstly Isabel Marant, who is offering a buyback service to then re-sell their own designs. Secondly, Gucci who takes the route of collaboration, working with The RealReal. And lastly, there is MiuMiu which bought pieces unrelated to their brand and gave them a makeover.