Pre-loved luxury items grace London Fashion Week’s runway

eBay isn’t the first company to debut second-hand clothing on the catwalk.

Though not included in the official schedule at London Fashion Week, Oxfam has hosted several second-hand fashion shows at the event across a number of years. This year, it will host yet another, named ‘Style for Change,’ in partnership with Vinted – one of eBay’s biggest competitors.

The fact that resale platforms like eBay and Vinted are even competing with one another for attention at London Fashion Week illustrates just how much society’s perception of second-hand clothing has shifted in recent years.

While the growing interest in pre-loved garments has been driven by Gen Z’s love for Y2K style garments and accessories, it is also a product of greater awareness around the environmental cost of the fast-fashion industry, as well as fashion itself.

Although most people will argue that ‘the most sustainable garment is the one you already own,’ buying pre-loved fashion is the next best thing.

Young people are realising that genuine luxury doesn’t have to be out of their reach, while viewing archival fashion as just as coveted (if not more) as the latest designer collections.

The cost-of-living crisis has also led young consumers to become more conscious with their spending habits. While a brand new designer bag could set you back hundreds or thousands of pounds, buying pre-loved items on resale platform could see you rocking high fashion for just a fraction of the price.

eBay reports that younger consumers drove the sale of nearly £40 billion worth of second-hand luxury products in 2023. Around the world, users searched for “vintage” over 1000 times a minute.

It’s clear that there’s a healthy and continuously growing appetite for vintage designer goods, and lucky for us all, both eBay and Vinted are happy to facilitate us getting our fill.