The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
The British accessories brand is the second label to join Vestiaire Collective’s ‘Brand Approved’ programme, where brands solicit pre-owned items from its top customers and resell them on the platform.
The new partnership expands on Mulberry’s own in-house resale service, called ‘Mulberry Exchange,’ which launched last February, allowing customers to exchange pre-worn Mulberry items for store credit, or purchase second-hand pieces that have been authenticated and restored by the brand. Mulberry follows in the footsteps of Alexander McQueen, which inked a similar tie-up with Vestiaire Collective when the programme first debuted in February.
Luxury interest in the resale market is mounting, as the fast-growing space becomes an increasingly attractive bet for brands wanting to tout sustainability credentials while tapping new revenue streams and building relationships with a new pool of consumers. The secondary fashion sector is expected to grow 15 to 20 percent each year through 2025, according to Boston Consulting Group.
Last week, McQueen parent Kering acquired a 5 percent stake in Vestiaire Collective, potentially opening the door for more labels within the Kering portfolio to list secondhand inventory on the platform. Last October, Gucci, another of Kering’s brands, inked a partnership with The RealReal.
The group’s flagship Prada brand grew more slowly but remained resilient in the face of a sector-wide slowdown, with retail sales up 7 percent.
The guidance was issued as the French group released first-quarter sales that confirmed forecasts for a slowdown. Weak demand in China and poor performance at flagship Gucci are weighing on the group.
Consumers face less, not more, choice if handbag brands can't scale up to compete with LVMH, argues Andrea Felsted.
As the French luxury group attempts to get back on track, investors, former insiders and industry observers say the group needs a far more drastic overhaul than it has planned, reports Bloomberg.