Could secondhand clothing be the new couture? There is a shifting mindset with the modern-day consumer. Yes, fast fashion is still wreaking havoc on our planet and overproduction of cheaply made garments doesn’t seem to be slowing down, however for those looking to wear their values while not compromising their fashion, the secondhand market just might be the answer.
New York Fashion Week has just wrapped up and, while the usual suspects and celebrity spectacles were front and centre as always, sustainable fashion lovers rejoiced over the ebay Runway Show. eBay’s shoppable Endless Runway Show was styled and curated by Wisdom Kaye and hosted by fashion writer, Liana Satenstein. Kaye is a 23-year-old Nigerian-American model and social media personality who Vogue considers “TikTok’s best-dressed guy.” His love of secondhand clothing was evident with his carefully curated looks. To emphasize the messaging of circularity, the models walked on an o-shaped runway showing 17 womenswear and 11 menswear looks. “The pieces for whatever style you’re trying to emulate already exist. They were made years ago,” Kaye said. “The whole idea of preloved is that this [item] used to be somebody else’s and now I give it new meaning, a new story, and so on. I see it as a circle of life for garments.”
In 2023, nearly $50 billion (US) worth of secondhand luxury items were sold worldwide. This past June, global eBay users searched for “vintage” over 1,000 times per minute on average. Pre-loved clothing is offering something fast fashion could never … unique, quality finds that aren’t available en mass at every mall. By highlighting secondhand clothing in such a glamorous setting such as New York Fashion Week, it shows the yet to be converted, that secondhand clothing is something to covet and can really be the missing piece to your personal style evolution.
eBay is also showing at London Fashion Week this month, and will be sharing an exclusive curated edit of pre-loved British fashion that will be updated daily during the fashionable week. —Jen Pistor
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