“You can go to a third-party platform and buy whatever you want,” said the ex- trend “Resale has become almost synonymous with fast fashion,” said the staff who organized Chloe Sevigny's much talked-about closet sale last summer.
Online shopping, even for second-hand goods, is beginning to lose its appeal for some. “I think the web has neutered my shopping experience,” Satenstein admits. “I don't shop in stores because I already know what I want. The internet is the easiest way for me to find things.” So when Satenstein arrived at 6:30 a.m. on the day of Sevigny's sale of the century, she was shocked to see people already lined up. She ended up circling the block twice and flooding social media.
Satenstein, who notes that the thrill of resale shopping is fading, explains the appeal of sales: “Of course, they're here for the clothes, but essence “They want to know the story behind the clothes,” she says. “People want a story behind the clothes, they want to experience something.” Of course, that helps when selling clothes from a celebrity, especially one with a unique sense of style.
Roche also loves the idea of bottling fame, or at least fame-adjacent states: “You get to peek into the closets of incredibly innovative, strong, pioneering, influential women who are pioneers in their industries, and grab a little piece of the magic from their world,” she says.
Online retailers are looking to get their hands on some of this magic, too. In October, The RealReal reinforced the company's environmental efforts by hosting a celebrity sale featuring items from the closets of A-list stars, including Kate Moss, Julianne Moore, Tessa Thompson, Sophia Bush, Laura Harrier, Annabelle Dexter-Jones and Ivy Getty. “Many famous women regularly personally consign with us,” says Rati Sahih-Levesque, president and COO of The RealReal. “It's so exciting to be able to name items for an important cause and launch a public sale of clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories from the closets of so many fashion icons.”
According to Levesque, the celebrity sale was a huge success. “The sale included more than 300 items ranging in price from $95 to $9,295, almost half of which sold out within a week,” she said. “Kate Moss's Longchamp jacket, Julianne Moore's Chanel bag and Tessa Thompson's sequined Miu Miu dress all sold out within hours of going on sale.” Levesque is optimistic that there will be more celebrity sales in the future, thanks to the positive response from the brand's shoppers.
