HOW A PANDEMIC RESHAPED THE RESALE INDUSTRY

HOW A PANDEMIC RESHAPED THE RESALE INDUSTRY

We’d like to think everything in the fashion industry is back to normal. The Met Gala properly happened on the first Monday in May. We’re out shopping again at our fave stores like the new 13,000 sq. ft. True Fashionistas consignment store, Naples, and we’re being as social as ever. Behind the scenes, however, two-plus years of COVID-19 has resulted in unexpected situations for the related industries of fashion, retail, and resale.

A 2021 Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study released by Dr. Sheng Lu, an Associate Professor in the Department of Fashion & Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware in collaboration with the United States Fashion Industry Association, found that fashion brands are “consolidating their source base and focusing on strengthening relationships with key suppliers as they push to become more flexible” in the ways they conduct business.

RESHAPING THE RESALE INDUSTRY – SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES

RetailDive.com points to a few events contributing to retail industry issues in general, like in 2021 when a cargo ship famously became lodged in Egypt’s Suez Canal, blocking traffic and holding up the commerce process in a significant way for six whole days. Covid-19 outbreaks wreaked havoc on the far east as China, one of the busiest ports in the world, basically shut down because of COVID-19, and Vietnamese factories were either fully or partially shut down by outbreaks, wreaking havoc on apparel and footwear production.

COVID-19 disrupted manufacturing areas in Bangladesh, India, and other major producing countries. At the same time, a demand surge by homebound shoppers clicking furiously away led to shortages in cargo space, shipping containers, and other equipment that in turn led to skyrocketing ocean freight prices.

While tied together by the pandemic and its consequences, the problems were different and exposed different vulnerabilities in the system. Those desperately searching for True Fashionista merchandise had to shop cautiously and wait patiently until the industry eventually caught up to get their fill at Naples’ best consignment store, True Fashionistas.

RESHAPING THE RESALE INDUSTRY – PRODUCT OVERLOAD

Once products started flowing again, the fashion industry experienced another shift – clothing that was months behind in getting to its destination was by now outdated. Top shelf retail outlets had to pass on the late arrivals to keep up with True Fashionista trends, and discount stores found themselves overwhelmed by the amount of product.

RESHAPING THE RESALE INDUSTRY – RESALE IS THE ANSWER

Fashion is looking at resale at stores such as True Fashionistas, Southwest Florida’s largest lifestyle consignment store, to save their souls. Catherine Erdly reports for Forbes that the trend started in 2020 when over 33 million consumers bought secondhand clothing for the first time. The resale market is projected to double in the next five years, reaching $77 billion. Indeed, all signs are pointing to designer resale shopping at stores like True Fashionistas as one of the fastest growing consumer behaviors in 2022.

RESHAPING THE RESALE INDUSTRY – SUSTAINABILITY IS SO TRUE FASHIONISTA

With the sobering experience of a pandemic in our not too distant past (and present, unfortunately), the idea of rejuvenation is flowing freely these days. (True Fashionista revenge heels, anyone?) Resale is seen evn more these days as a way to keep clothing out of landfills, to upcycle and repurpose clothing that was getting pushed to the back of the closet. As we emerged from sheltering at home, a renewed sense of sustainability and goodwill toward our cherished True Fashionista wardrobes has settled upon the general consumer population.

Do your wardrobe some goodwill. Consign and shop at True Fashionistas, the best designer consignment store. We only buy, consign and sell authentic designer clothing, footwear, handbags and home décor. Come shop our beautiful new brick and mortar location or online 24/7.