Your resident former fashion reporter is here to say: Clothes and accessories are big business these days. Analytics firm GlobalData anticipates the worldwide apparel resale market will reach $367 billion by 2029–and, if that prediction comes true, it’ll mean secondhand apparel sales are growing at 2.7x the rate of firsthand sales.
This is good news for online resale platforms like eBay, Vinted, Depop, Poshmark, and Whatnot (which has raised nearly $500 million of fresh funding this year alone). But in an increasingly busy and crowded market, these platforms–like all content platforms–are trying to find ways to stand out to both sellers and buyers.
Whatnot’s approach has been to embed itself within the creator community, enticing YouTubers, TikTokers, and more to sell their own items and items from partner brands in Whatnot’s high-energy, livestreamed auctions. (For example, Disney YouTuber summerlyyy has amassed 318,000 subscribers by filming herself going around Disney’s theme parks and trading pins with employees. She got a sponsorship from Whatnot to host livestreams selling items from her vast pin collection.)
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Now eBay is also tapping our industry for relevance: It teamed up with Emma Chamberlain to auction 100 items from her personal fashion collection. Chamberlain is known for sporting luxe brands, so we’re talking a solid lineup of sweaters, pants, accessories, and of course purses from brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Prada, Gucci, and more–all listed for a $0.99 starting bid.
The auction ran Oct. 30-Nov. 6, and every single item sold. Most surged up from that 99-cent launch point to sell for hammer prices in the hundreds of dollars, like her long green Prada suit jacket ($300), Givenchy cowboy boots ($475), a black shoulder bag from Tod’s ($270), this Hermès gold bracelet ($315), and a pair of Bottega Veneta glasses ($200).
Some, though, were downright steals, like this pair of ERL jeans that went for $26 and this sample Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama scarf that went for $275 (we know, that seems steep, but in the fashion world sample items are not distributed publicly, so this is a rare find that sold for a lot less than other LV x Kusama items). Chamberlain’s well-known Diesel crossbody bag, the star of her 2022 Coachella look, went for just $106.
A couple pieces crested the $1K mark, including a Prada shoulder bag ($1,375) and and a red Louis Vuitton Coussin PM Epi Leather bag ($1,075).
Before you start thinking this’ll be a pretty penny for Chamberlain, know that all her proceeds from these items are going to Save the Children.
“I’ve always loved pre-loved fashion, it’s been a significant part of developing my style since the very beginning,” she said about partnering with eBay. “The eclectic nature of shopping pre-loved has inspired me to think for myself and find pieces that are truly me. […] I’ve discovered so many unique pieces that have become beloved staples in my wardrobe and auctioning this collection exclusively on Ebay feels like a full-circle moment. I am so excited for these items to continue their story as they become essentials in people’s wardrobes.”
This isn’t the first celebrity charity sale eBay has held. In June 2024, it partnered with Elton John, David Furnish, Donatella Versace, Brandi Carlile, Betsey Johnson, Robin Roberts, and Andy Cohen for a sale that benefited John’s AIDS foundation.
And while Chamberlain’s sale is a sign that legacy platforms are continuing to embrace creators on the same level as Hollywood greats, celebrity clothing sales have already left their mark in the creator world. Back in 2019, the Kardashians launched Kardashian Kloset, a digital storefront to sell their personal pre-worn clothes. One of the Kloset’s notable customers was YouTuber HopeScope, whose videos about snapping up the fam’s fabulous fits racked up tens of millions of views and helped take her channel into a new era.
