- The second-hand market is becoming more professional and digital: 60 percent more products on offer than in 2020
- Jacquemus, Rolex and Saint Laurent are gaining popularity, while Prada, Balenciaga and Chanel are losing popularity
- Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada are the most popular pre-loved brands
“Interest in second-hand fashion is growing rapidly. Both on the buyer and seller side. Last year we were offered 60 percent more designer items than in 20201 and the market is becoming increasingly professional: the number of commercial sellers increased by almost ten percent last year1”, explains Cécile Wickmann, founder of Rebelle. “In a time of global political and financial uncertainty and the climate crisis, buyers and sellers are increasingly recognizing the economic, ecological and emotional value of second-hand fashion. They are more concerned than ever with the purchase decision and this is increasingly leading them towards the circular economy.”
Half of all Rebelle customers state that they buy significantly more second-hand than they did three years ago, and for almost as many, sustainability is the key motivation for buying used clothing.2 That is 15 percent more than in 2021. 66 percent are a third of the wardrobe already consists of pre-loved items.2
Louis Vuitton is the leader in Europe
Louis Vuitton remains the leader of the best-selling luxury brands on the second-hand market, both internationally and in Germany. 75 percent of all items from the traditional French company sell within the first twelve weeks. Gucci, Prada, Chanel and Burberry occupy places two to five, but have lost popularity compared to last year. The absolute climber in recent months is the Jacquemus brand with growth of 113 percent. Demand for Saint Laurent and Rolex items has also increased compared to 2021.1
“As an international online marketplace with over two million monthly users worldwide, we can quickly identify resale trends,” says Wickmann. “And we see concrete differences in buying and selling behavior in Europe.” Hermès is currently the best-selling brand in France and Sweden. The English and Spanish are currently favoring Prada, while Italians are most in demand for Gucci designer pieces. The best-selling pre-loved designer bag in Germany is the Sac Noé from Louis Vuitton. The Chanel flap bag is the front runner in Sweden, while Italians are increasingly buying Stella McCartney’s Falabella bag and Spaniards are increasingly buying Loewe’s Puzzle bag.1
Top resale luxury brands and articles in Germany
Strong regional trends can also be identified in Germany: the most coveted designer items in Berlin are the Cyphre sandals by Hermès. Escada and Gucci are also more in demand as brands on the Spree than in other major cities. Berliners are also the most keen to sell. Women in Hamburg tend to wear more classic brands, such as B. Chanel and Tod’s in muted colors. As far as action is concerned, the North Germans are more reserved than other city dwellers in Germany. While Burberry, Valentino and Hugo Boss dominate the list of top brands in Frankfurt and Dior’s Book Tote is the best-selling item, Munich residents buy and sell more Prada than other city dwellers in Germany. Dolce & Gabbana and Etro are also very popular here. One of the top sellers in the Bavarian capital is the Dior Lady Bag.1
resale trends
Logo-free and discreet bags from the 00s are among the most important re-sale trends of the last few months. So celebrated z. B. Gucci’s Indy and the Fendi Spy Bag are making a comeback in 2022. “The trend for bags is clearly going in the direction of the ‘sickle shape’. These will continue to be in demand in 2023 and can also be seen in the current collections of designer brands, such as B. at Louis Vuitton or Loewe,” explains Björn Holzhauer, vintage expert at Rebelle.
Sales of romantic and feminine fashion brands, such as B. Zimmermann and Ulla Johnson, grew by almost 70 percent last year. The new willingness to travel after Corona is reflected in an increasing demand for travel bags. In addition, a trend for rose gold and the color brown can be seen from the current figures.1
“After Gucci’s number of items sold fell 17 percent year-on-year, the announcement of new creative director Sabato de Sano for 2023 promises a boost for the brand as older pieces become more collectible and hype around new models could build.” , according to Holzhauer. “The appointment of Pharrell Williams as successor to Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton also promises to attract attention and could mean a further boost for the brand in the resale area.”
Vintage still on the rise
The demand for vintage pieces, i.e. items that are more than 25 years old, has increased by 11 percent compared to the previous year. Bags by Céline, Chanel jewelery from the 80s and 90s and blouses by Yves Saint Laurent are currently particularly popular.
“For 2023 we expect continued strong demand for vintage and archival items. However, this will go beyond the Y2K look that has accompanied us in recent seasons and, in line with the socio-political and economic uncertainties, will be somewhat dressier and more timeless. Long denim skirts, wide-cut silk blouses, e.g. B. from Celine and vintage tweed blazers, such as from Etro or Ralph Lauren, will then also increase in resale,” says Holzhauer.
The top investment pieces
The categories of handbags, watches and jewelery achieved the highest sales prices in the past few months. Articles from the Hermès, Chanel, Rolex and Louis Vuitton brands have the highest resale value on average. The top three investment pieces are the Hermès Birkin Bag 35, Hermès Kelly Bag 28 and Chanel Classic Flap Bag Medium.
“Again this year, many luxury brands have increased their new prices again. In addition, more brands, such as Chanel now, are relying on artificial shortages of some items, which causes the prices on the resale market to continue to rise. Those who bought a classic black Chanel Flap Bag Medium in 2010 for around €2,800 can now resell it – in good condition – for around €4,500 or more. The new price is currently almost €9,000.”
Successful in the fight against counterfeits
The most counterfeited brands at the moment are Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Chanel’s Carré Silk, Dior Book Tote, and Gucci Marmont Bag top the list of fakes submitted that failed Rebelle.com’s 2022 authenticity check.1
“The trade in counterfeit luxury goods is booming, mainly due to the e-commerce business that offers anonymity. At the same time, the plagiarisms are getting better and better in quality. This makes it increasingly difficult for laypersons to identify counterfeits with certainty. Since our foundation, we have been committed to fighting product piracy. Our authenticity check is one of the strictest on the international second-hand market. Counterfeits don’t stand a chance with us and this good reputation precedes us: 72 percent of Rebelle customers buy from us because the authenticity check makes it safe. A great success and a confirmation of our service offer”, Johanna Eggers, Head of Authenticity Checks at Rebelle.