TikTok announces the Preowned Luxury category, Britain’s ‘big 5’ resellers sign up

TikTok Shop has just launched a Preowned Luxury category in the UK and US, which it says will “enable the community to view and buy authentic luxury fashion without ever having to leave TikTok”.

It’s a big move for the company, which is a major forum for fashion trends, and comes at a time when demand for top-quality second-hand bags, clothing and shoes has never been higher.

The social media giant said the new category will allow people to “learn more about luxury fashion, find style inspiration and buy those must-have pieces” while on the platform.

It added that the hashtag ‘prelovedfashion’ has already generated more than 62,000 creations on TikTok, and “this launch will allow preloved fashion brands to reach a whole new audience, as the TikTok community looks for more sustainable and accessible ways to embrace luxury fashion”.

The category is being launched in partnership with five of the biggest UK names in the industry, Luxe Collective, Sellier Knightsbridge, Sign of the Times, Hardly Ever Worn It and Break Archive, who have “already achieved huge success on the platform”.

Luxe Collective – which recently benefited from a £100,000 investment after appearing on Dragon’s Den – has 1.6 million followers on TikTok.

Sellier, meanwhile, is said to be the fastest growing resale platform for luxury superbrands in Britain. It specializes in rare and curated collections, including names like Chanel, Hermès and Dior. It has physical stores in Monaco, Knightsbridge and Belgravia in London, but direct consumer e-commerce through its website and app is also crucial, so the link with TikTok makes huge commercial sense.

Sign of the Times is one of the veterans in the luxury resale field, having set up shop in Chelsea in 1976. But it has adapted well to the new e-tail world and has more than 2.7 million likes on TikTok through its mix of insightful and funny fashion content.

Barely Ever Worn – or HEWI as it is known – was founded purely as an online marketplace, offering a curated selection of second-hand designer fashion and accessories with an emphasis on sustainability.

And Break Archive, which was only founded in 2022 by 19-year-old Gabriel Rylka, adds a Gen-Z tone to the category. Its focus is on “discovering elusive and exclusive vintage designer treasures” and it also takes a curated approach to its offering.

Jan Wilk, Head of Operations, TikTok Shop UK, said: “This announcement is an exciting first step into the world of second-hand fashion. TikTok Shop is already a leader when it comes to discovery-based commerce and with a vibrant fashion community thriving, this offers retailers a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and customers with an inspiring and accessible way to embrace luxury fashion.”

Sellier co-founder and CEO Hanushka Toni added: “This is a very exciting moment for (us). We’ve built a loyal following on TikTok and amassed hundreds of thousands of followers, so it felt like a natural progression to launch as part of the beloved favorites category. We just launched our Sellier Selected marketplace, so together with our partnership with TikTok Shop, this continues our mission to make luxury fashion more accessible to everyone.”