Reselling Desire: The Socio-economic and Cultural Forces and Implications of the Expanding Luxury Resale Market

Abstract

The luxury fashion resale market has grown at an annual 10 % rate—three times faster than the primary market—driven by decluttering, sustainability concerns, and a desire for heritage pieces. Using a stratified online survey, based upon 2000 2025 data, this study tests how price advantage, environmental consciousness, and emotional attachment predict purchase intention. Historically rooted in necessity, second-hand markets have evolved into expressions of counterculture, sustainability, and contemporary fashion ethics. Following this rapid growth, digital platforms such as The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, Relove, and Revivify have strengthened trust and accessibility through authentication technologies and curated interfaces. Results indicate that price performance utility and heritage value are the strongest predictors, while ethical concerns exert a modest but significant effect. The findings suggest that resale democratizes luxury access while reinforcing brand equity through “circular value capture. Ultimately, luxury resale reflects converging environmental, economic, and cultural forces, raising questions about its future influence on brand identity, consumer loyalty, and the moral economy of luxury.

Keywords: Sustainability, fashion, luxury, resale, consumer, brand, value