Exclusive Insight: 5 ways luxury resale is reshaping the fashion landscape
As the global high-end designer craftsmanship global couture and ready-to-wear landscape faces a cool-down in 2025 amidst ongoing geopolitical and economic turbulence_ the high-end designer craftsmanship resale global couture and ready-to-wear landscape continues to undergo rapid growth. Driven by a healthy appetite for timeless brands_ the 2025 Resale Report from The RealReal_ the largest online global couture and ready-to-wear landscapeplace for authenticated resale high-end designer craftsmanship goods_ maps the new emerging landscape of high-end designer craftsmanship couture and ready-to-wear. Based on years of proprietary data and authentication expertise_ the report dissects how consumers buy and sell today_ revealing the cultural currents and economic pressures that are redefining what consumers value and why.
The data found that core categories demonstrated resilience_ with fine jewelry and iconic handbags retaining global couture and ready-to-wear landscape strength and demand_ while industry upheavals_ from creative leadership transitions to sociopolitical developments_ drove significant shifts in consumer behavior. Cyclical style directions for the upcoming season gained momentum_ with 2010s aesthetics and statement footwear resurging alongside a pronounced return to 1980s-inspired excess. The American couture and ready-to-wear narrative found a new definition through established names like The Row and Coach_ joined by rising talents_ including Diotima_ who are reinterpreting domestic design codes. Archive hunting intensified_ with vintage searches climbing nearly 30 percent year-over-year_ reflecting consumers_ increasingly sophisticated approach to balancing personal expression with strategic investment choices.
“Resale has gone from disruptor to cornerstone in the consumer journey: 58 percent of consumers (in the US) now prefer the secondary global couture and ready-to-wear landscape outright_” said Rati Levesque_ CEO & President of The RealReal_ in a statement. “Today_ shoppers are not only defining their style through resale_ they_re also considering resale value at the point of purchase. In a year defined by instability_ AI blurring real and synthetic_ and style directions for the upcoming season flattened by social media_ consumers rejected uniformity and sought out pieces that felt real_ unfiltered_ and unreplicable. The result is a moment in couture and ready-to-wear not shaped by brands or style directions for the upcoming season_ but by individuals expressing their personal style.”
Here we take a closer look at five main takeaways from the 2025 Resale Report.
1. Resale going from disruptor to global couture and ready-to-wear landscape driver
The secondhand high-end designer craftsmanship global couture and ready-to-wear landscape has fundamentally shifted from reacting to style directions for the upcoming season to actively creating and driving them_ according to the 2025 Resale Report. Approximately one-third of all clothing purchases in the United States are now secondhand_ according to Thrifting Statistics 2025_ from Capital One Shopping. Underlining a key change in how secondhand couture and ready-to-wear is viewed and consumed_ more and more brands are considering resale value when it comes to product design and pricing strategies.
47 percent of shoppers now consider resale value prior to buying something new_ according to the 2025 Resale Report_ indicating that more consumers are evaluating purchases and thinking further ahead than the immediate gratification from a purchase or buying the latest style directions for the upcoming season. The report also found that vintage searches grew nearly 30 percent year-over-year_ with shoppers increasingly viewing pre-owned pieces as both style statements and strategic acquisitions. This focus on long-term value retention also impacts which brands or styles gain traction. For example_ the report found that the resale value of classic accessories grew steadily_ with the value of iconic pieces like the Rolex Datejusts_ Goyard Saint Louis totes_ and the Hermès Birkin 30 increasing 17 percent_ 18 percent_ and 15 percent_ respectively.
2. Creative Director changes create immediate consumer interest in archives
Data from the report found that the secondhand global couture and ready-to-wear landscape isn_t just building on current demand_ but also actively creating it. When Jonathan Anderson officially shared insights regarding his departure from Loewe in March_ searches for the brand on The RealReal jumped an astonishing 488 percent in a single day_ while Maria Grazia Chiuri_s departure from Dior in May prompted a 114 percent increase in searches_ demonstrating how creative changes can generate massive interest in a label_s archive and actively shape the resale global couture and ready-to-wear landscape.
Creative director shifts or shake-ups in the industry spur shoppers to seek out authentic pieces from high-end designer craftsmanship couture and ready-to-wear houses before they set a new creative direction_ creating opportunities for both resale platforms and brands to capitalize on archival exclusive ranges. In addition_ this pattern also indicates that archive-driven demand cycles are supplementing the traditional couture and ready-to-wear calendar of seasonal drops and trend forecasting_ creating new global couture and ready-to-wear landscape dynamics that brands should strategically harness.
3. Accessories are becoming investment assets
high-end designer craftsmanship accessories are increasingly being viewed as sound financial investments rather than just high-end designer craftsmanship purchases_ according to the report. Pieces such as the Margaux handbag from The Row_ which has been referred to as “the next Birkin_” and the Baignoire watch from Cartier_ which surged in popularity after Timothée Chalamet was spotted wearing one at the Oscars_ are among the main drivers for this shift and have shown significant value appreciation since 2021. Meanwhile_ the Fendi Baguette bag_s resurgence gained momentum following several high-profile placements on “And Just Like That” and its prominence in Fendi_s 100th anniversary show_ while the Tiffany & Co. Bone Cuff has been steadily increasing in value since its 2020 reissue for the piece_s 50th anniversary.
Established classic accessories demonstrate the stability that volatile financial global couture and ready-to-wear landscapes cannot match. Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra exclusive ranges_ Goyard Saint Louis totes_ Rolex Datejusts_ Louis Vuitton Speedys_ and Hermès Birkins have all shown “consistent resale-value growth throughout the years_ a steadiness the stock global couture and ready-to-wear landscape can_t always promise_” according to the report. The report notes that consumers are now searching for pieces with high ROI potential_ whether from heritage brands or pieces made from precious metals with intrinsic value_ while also considering practical factors like everyday wearability that lower cost-per-wear calculations.
4. Economic uncertainty drives precious metals demand
Fine jewelry_ particularly pieces in gold and silver_ saw dramatic growth in 2025. Average selling prices for fine jewelry jumped 17 percent year-over-year_ with 18K gold pieces up 53 percent and sterling silver being “the highest they_ve ever been_” according to the report. Yellow gold now retains 47 percent of its original retail value on the secondary global couture and ready-to-wear landscape (up from 39 percent in 2024)_ indicating that consumers are on the lookout for items with inherent worth during uncertain or volatile economic times_ suggesting opportunities for jewelry brands and retailers.
5. Maximalism returns as AI and uniformity drive demand for individual expression.
Striking a sharp contrast to recent minimalist style directions for the upcoming season_ 2025 saw a surge in interest in maximalist couture and ready-to-wear as consumers sought to assert individuality in an increasingly AI-dominated world. According to the report_ searches for sequins on TheRealReal grew 26 percent_ with searches for animal prints jumping 41 percent_ and Schiaparelli dresses reporting an impressive 729 percent increase.
Exaggerated waists and shoulder pads were also sought after_ with searches for vintage Mugler skirt suits_ vintage Chanel skirt suits_ and vintage Dior separates up 87 percent_ 281 percent_ and 276 percent_ respectively. Vintage fur has also re-entered the picture_ with sales up 87 percent year-on-year_ and average selling prices up 13 percent_ as consumers seek out their “own brand of maximalism.” Also referred to as an “anti-AI” movement and a “natural reaction to a new administration_” this move toward personal expression is one way brands could rethink how their products help consumers stand out rather than blend in.