eBay’s Secondhand Fashion Show at NYFW 2024: A Winning Step Toward Circular Fashion

eBay’s Secondhand Fashion Show at NYFW

In a major win for the sustainable fashion movement, eBay made history at this year’s New York Fashion Week (NYFW) by debuting its first-ever secondhand runway show in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). The show was part of eBay’s campaign to bring circular fashion into the mainstream. Styled by TikTok star Wisdom Kaye and hosted by fashion writer Liana Satenstein, the show featured a live, shoppable “Endless Runway”, showcasing pre-loved pieces from American designers like Ralph Lauren, Brandon Maxwell, Off-White, and Simone Rocha. The concept of circularity was reinforced with an O-shaped runway, symbolizing the renewed life cycle of pre-loved garments. In addition to NYFW, eBay also debuted a secondhand runway show at London Fashion Week (LFW). Curated by eBay's Pre-Loved Style Director Amy Bannerman and co-hosted by model Leomie Anderson, this show highlighted British designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and Craig Green. Pieces showcased on both runways were available for purchase on eBay, with daily drops of runway pieces designed to make secondhand luxury fashion more accessible to consumers.

A Shift in Consumer Mindset

eBay’s shows come at a time when more consumers are shifting away from fast fashion. The global resale market has grown significantly, with eBay reporting that in 2023 alone, nearly $50 billion worth of secondhand luxury items were sold. Searches for “vintage” on eBay averaged over 1,000 times per minute in June, highlighting the growing demand for unique, high-quality items not found in traditional retail. Kristy Keoghan, eBay’s Global General Manager of Fashion, pointed out in an interview with Vogue that the goal of these runway shows is to make preloved fashion more accessible, adding that this could inspire designers to re-release archive pieces in future collections. With younger consumers driving demand for sustainable fashion, preloved clothing is no longer just a trend—it’s becoming integral to personal style evolution.

Why It Matters

eBay’s presence at NYFW and LFW underscores a broader shift in the fashion industry towards circularity. By bringing secondhand luxury fashion to such high-profile events, eBay is pushing the message that secondhand clothing isn’t just environmentally responsible—it’s stylish, unique, and worth coveting. While eBay’s secondhand runway shows represent a huge step forward for the sustainable fashion movement, experts caution that the growth of the resale market needs to be moderated. Francois Souchet, a sustainability consultant, noted that while secondhand shopping is a more sustainable option, it’s only truly impactful if it replaces new purchases. Platforms like eBay need to ensure that they don’t inadvertently fuel overconsumption under the guise of reform. To address these concerns, eBay UK launched the Circular Fashion Innovation Fund in 2022, in partnership with the British Fashion Council. The fund aims to support social enterprises, small businesses, and charities working toward a sustainable fashion economy. The success of these initiatives, however, will depend on broader systemic changes that prioritize the path forward—one that honors the past, while reimagining the future as circular.

Watch eBay’s entire Secondhand Fashion Show here.

What is Circular Fashion?

Circular fashion is an innovative approach that seeks to address the fundamental issues of the fashion industry by transforming the entire life cycle of our clothing. It aims to combat the problem of clothing waste by implementing sustainable practices such as recycling, reusing, and reducing the environmental impact of apparel production. This approach strives to create a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry for the benefit of both people and the planet.

You can read more about Circular Fashion here.

About the Author:

Sushmitha Gururaj is an independent writer and content creator with over 10 years of experience educating audiences online about slow fashion, sustainable living and travel. A former neuroscientist turned science communicator by trade, she is a writer at heart! You can follow her on Instagram and find her writing on her blog.