This Week's Obsession: Resale’s Surge

This Week's Obsession: Resale’s Surge

Booming Growth with Hidden Trade-Offs

Resale is no longer a niche or reactive trend—it’s becoming a central pillar of fashion retail. According to the Vogue Business roundup of resale and impact reports, secondhand sales are accelerating across the board. Platforms like The RealReal, eBay, Vinted, and Vestiaire Collective are reporting record revenues, mainstream partnerships, and new investment in circular infrastructure. (Vogue Business)

Some headline figures:

  • The RealReal now processes over 10,000 new items daily; 2024 saw over 40 million items sold cumulatively. 

  • eBay in Q2 2025, reported that 40% of its gross merchandise volume (GMV) came from pre-loved and refurbished items. 

  • Depop claims a “displacement rate” (i.e. the share of secondhand purchases that truly replace new) of 68% in the UK. 

  • Vestiaire Collective estimates it has avoided 242,000 tonnes of CO₂e since 2009, partly thanks to its resale operations. 

These numbers show two things: consumers are leaning hard into circular models, and resale platforms are becoming profitable businesses in their own right. Is the drive financial as many aspirational luxury consumers are being priced out of the market or is the drive to consume more consciously? Most likely a bit a both, however, is resale truly more affordable and sustainable?

The Downsides: Why Resale Isn’t a Silver Bullet

1. Impact Is Hard to Quantify

Resale platforms often cite a “displacement rate”—the percentage of secondhand purchases that truly replace the purchase of a new item—as proof of their sustainability. But this metric is notoriously difficult to verify. Platforms rely on proprietary surveys and modelling, which may overstate results. Some reports claim 60–70 percent displacement, but independent analysts warn of double counting and consumer bias. If a shopper buys a pre-owned Chanel bag and a new Dior the same season, that secondhand purchase hasn’t displaced anything. Without transparent, standardised reporting, it’s impossible to know whether resale actually lowers overall production or merely adds another layer of consumption.

2. Inventory Overload

The rapid growth of resale means a flood of listings. Millions of garments and accessories sit unsold for months, tying up warehouse space and capital. Storing, photographing, authenticating, and shipping all those pieces demands energy and resources, which undermines sustainability claims. Even unsold items need eventual disposition—discounting, offloading to lower-grade markets, or, in some cases, landfill—blunting the environmental benefit resale promises.

3. Wear, Tear, and Authenticity Risks

A “very good” condition handbag is still a used item. Natural wear—scratches, colour transfer, sagging leather—can reduce resale value and buyer satisfaction. Repairs or missing hardware create extra costs and, if done by non-brand specialists, may void any warranty or reduce authenticity. Counterfeit infiltration remains a challenge, too. Platforms spend heavily on authentication, but sophisticated fakes continue to slip through, eroding consumer trust.

4. Fast-Fashion Mindset Persists

Ironically, resale can fuel the very cycle it hopes to slow. Some shoppers treat it like fast fashion: buying impulsively, wearing an item a few times, and flipping it back onto the platform. This churn keeps production and shipping volumes high and can normalise “disposable” luxury—where handbags are commodities rather than long-term investments. The result is more packaging, more emissions, and little true reduction in demand for new goods.

5. Hidden Costs and Fees

While resale promises a financial return, the economics can disappoint. Platforms charge listing and selling fees, often 20–40 percent, plus authentication and shipping costs. Price reductions to attract buyers further shrink margins, leaving sellers with far less than expected. For buyers, insurance, shipping, and potential restoration costs can push the total price close to that of a new item—without the warranty or boutique experience.

The Takeaway
Fashion resale undeniably extends the life of garments and accessories, but its environmental and financial benefits are often overstated. Without clear displacement, responsible inventory management, and stricter authentication, resale can replicate the overconsumption patterns it set out to disrupt—underscoring why models like co-ownership, which focus on longevity, maintenance, and shared use from the outset, may offer a truer path to circular fashion.

Why Co-Ownership Outperforms Resale

While resale extends an item’s life after it leaves the first owner, More Luxury Club keeps every piece within a closed circular ecosystem from day one. Each handbag remains in a controlled loop of authenticity, high utilisation, insurance, maintenance, and repair, ensuring it stays in circulation far longer than most resale purchases.

  • Closed-Loop Authenticity: Every item is authenticated at acquisition and never leaves the trusted community, removing the risk of counterfeits or questionable provenance.

  • High Utilisation: Instead of sitting in a wardrobe or a resale warehouse, bags rotate continuously between co-owners. This maximises use and dramatically reduces idle time.

  • White-Glove Maintenance & Repair: More Luxury handles cleaning, conditioning, and professional repairs. This proactive care preserves each bag’s integrity and extends its lifespan.

  • Shared Responsibility, Shared Incentive: Co-owners have genuine “skin in the game.” Because members collectively own the bag, everyone is motivated to treat it with care, protecting both beauty and resale value.

  • Built-In Resale Option: Shares can be traded to new members within the club’s marketplace, keeping the item in the same carefully maintained ecosystem while allowing members to recoup value or trade up.

The result is a truly circular luxury model: pieces are enjoyed, maintained, and rotated for years without leaving the More Luxury Club community. This approach not only retains value better than resale but also delivers a seamless, sustainable way to experience luxury—without the hidden costs and compromises of the secondary market.

Bottom Line: A More Sustainable Middle Way

Resale is powerful. It’s grown fast, and the data suggests it’s reshaping the fashion landscape. But by itself, it can’t fix the deep structural problems of consumption, waste, and undervalued craftsmanship.

That’s where co-ownership shines. It takes the best of resale—access, circularity—and blends it with care, stability, and long-term use. At More Luxury Club, we believe the future of luxury doesn’t lie in owning more, but in sharing better.

Let’s do fashion differently. Want to co-own, not just resell? Apply to join our club today. 

Designer Spotlight: Polomi

Polomi is on our designer radar, and why it should be on yours

London-based Polomi just landed on our radar just today and we're happy it has. Polomi redefines the essence of luxury, weaving together uncompromising quality, ethical craftsmanship, and a steadfast commitment to sustainability. Every limited-edition handbag is a tribute to meticulous artistry, expertly handcrafted from responsibly sourced materials that are chosen not just for their beauty, but for their ability to age gracefully and withstand the test of time—becoming cherished heirlooms for generations.

What sets Polomi apart is its unwavering dedication to integrity at every stage. The brand ethos is ethical craftsmanship, they partner exclusively with small, skilled ateliers renowned for upholding the highest standards of fairness, transparency, and excellence. By openly sharing supply chain details and enforcing rigorous labor standards, Polomi ensures that every aspect of production honours both people and planet.

And sustainability isn't an afterthought for Polomi; it’s a guiding principle. From downsized collections to zero-waste pattern cutting, the brand seeks to minimise impact at every step. They prioritise local production to reduce shipping footprints and support regenerative farming for their natural leathers. Longevity, responsibility, and circular thinking underpin each design decision.

In the world of luxury accessories, Polomi stands out not for what it shouts, but for what it quietly does: championing beauty with purpose. For members of More Luxury Club, these are precisely the kinds of handbags worth co-owning — pieces you can wear with pride, care for with joy, and pass on without guilt—each bag is an enduring masterpiece, designed to be admired, shared, and treasured.


Love it or 'Hate It': Alo trades up to Luxury Bags?

Alo Yoga—renowned for its studio-to-street leggings, loungewear, and wellness aesthetic—is making waves with a new high-end bag line. Vogue Business titled their piece “Would you buy a $3,000 Alo handbag?”, and that’s exactly the question we’re asking too. (voguebusiness.com)

Why you might love it:

  • Lifestyle Continuity: Alo already fits effortlessly into your wardrobe. A sleek, minimalist bag extension feels natural—less a leap, more an evolution.

  • Accessibility of Luxury: For fans of the brand, it’s exciting to access “designer” pieces under a label you already trust. If materials and hardware deliver, it’s a shortcut to cohesion.

  • Trend Participation: Wearing health, wellness, and street-luxury in sync has appeal. You essentially “live” the brand—leggings, hoodie, and bag in one narrative.

Why you might hate it:

  • Price vs. Perceived Value: The projected $3,000 price point prompts skepticism. Without decades of legacy or craftsmanship reputation, will buyers feel justified in paying luxury premiums?

  • Aesthetic vs. Heritage: The bag designs seen so far have been sleek, minimal—but perhaps not loaded with signature detail. Without unique identity, they may feel generic at luxury cost.

  • Risk of Brand Stretch: Alo’s strength has been athleisure. Luxury handbags demand more—durability, structural integrity, and design legacy. If those feel secondary, the price point becomes hard to defend.

Our verdict? We remain unconvinced. Alo’s rise into handbags underscores how much value consumers place on branding. As a co-ownership model, our greatest value comes from the enduring desire for and the longevity of a piece - this is clearly untested territory. Our ethos is providing our members, More, so we're not willing to experiment.  Part of our reluctance is our view of Alo's current offering, which we don't give high marks for in terms of quality or longevity  - so while that's our opinion, we're sitting this one out. 

Do you side with love it or hate it? Cast your vote—we’re curious what you think.