The RealReal’s FULL 2024 Resale Report
The 2024 Resale Report from The RealReal is officially out! Download the official report in PDF format here.
What’s in the Report?
Fashion Goes Grassroots
“Fashion is undergoing a seismic shift. Trends less frequently flow from the top (runways), and are now emerging from the ground up through things like TikTok, television shows, and everyday street style.
This unprecedented collision of fashion and culture is empowering consumers to shape trends themselves, driving demand for unique, high-value items that reflect their personal style. They’re looking to invest in quality more, especially during a time of economic insecurity: For the second year in a row, we’re seeing both average order values and average sale prices rise across all generations, with increases upto14%.
It’s no longer about what’s new being what’s next-it’s about what’s going to last. More than ever, shoppers are curating their wardrobes with a focus on distinctiveness and enduring value.”
Rati Sahi Levesque
President & COO
Top Stories In This Report
Most Searched Brands of 2024
See who snagged the #1 spot this year.
Generational Breakdown
Find out what Boomers have been up to.
The 2024 Bling Boom
See why no category was hotter than jewelry this year.
This Year’s It Bag? Something More Attainable.
Bag purchases are getting less pretentious.
Vintage, Once Gatekept, Goes Mainstream
Why formerly “IYKYK” collections are suddenly finding mass appeal.
The C-Suite Took the Streets
Are slacks and skirt suits the new streetwear?
We’re Calling It: The New Mob Wife
She’s listening to Cowboy Carter and searching for Chloe culottes.
Sustainability Takes Center Stage
Shoppers have a new top priority, and we have a new category.
Most Searched Brands of 2024
This year’s top brands all have one thing in common, and that’s universality. Take our #1 Most Searched: Pharrell’s modern twists on classic Louis Vuitton styles transcend age and gender. The winners are: 1) Louis Vuitton; 2) Chanel; 3) Prada; 4) Gucci; 5) Loewe; 6) Miu Miu; 7) Celine; 8) Bottega Veneta; 9) Dior; and 10) The Row
“All of these brands are redefining fashion by appealing to the masses. Prada, for example, taps perfectly into ’90s and Y2K trends, and has become Gen Z’s most-searched brand.
There’s also Chanel and Gucci-whose handbags are our most-searched item and second most-searched item, respectively-reigning in popularity among Boomers and Zoomers alike. Miu Miu, breaking traditional age-specific style norms, has seen a remarkable 470% year-over year increase in searches for its vintage pieces. The trend towards fashion’s continued democratization across genders is also clear, with many of these brands championing gender-fluid styles and inclusivity.”
Noelle Sciacca
Associate Director, Women’s Fashion
& Strategic Partnerships
The Generation Most Likely To…
BOOMERS
Have an Unassuming It Bag
Are you there, Margaux? They had the biggest uptick in searches for The Row bags this year (51%).
From Coast to Coast: The majority of Boomers’ orders come
from New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, in that order.
GEN X
Scoff at Logo Lovers
They spent 17% more this year on unbranded jewelry.
Palm Royale: Gen Xers based in Palm Beach spend the most per order overall.
MILLENNIALS
Not Wear an Apple Watch
Their searches for Panthere watches were up 28% this year. Concrete Spenders: Millennial New Yorkers are responsible for the highest gross sales out of any other demographic or state.
GEN Z
Wear Ballet Flats to the Club
Zoomers searched for Chanel shoes more than anything else this year. Splurging Down South: Compared to their cohorts elsewhere, Zoomers in Atlanta spend the most per order.
The 2024 Bling Boom
Fine jewelry saw the highest growth of any category this year. It appears shoppers are deciding on surefire investments during an era of economic insecurity and lightning-speed trends, spending more on higher value pieces with guaranteed ROls and staying power.
Despite enduring economic factors-like inflation and metal price hikes-our data shows a ‘1°/o increase in demand and average order value, as well as customers gravitating towards high-value pieces from luxury brands.
When It Comes to Jewelry, Luxury Is Getting Loud
The stealth luxe trend that dominated 2023 is still going strong. Its newest iteration involves mixing decidedly maximalist jewelry with minimalist everything else.
Big Names Beget Even Bigger Sales
Demand for branded pieces continues to skyrocket, with luxury market leaders (Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels) making up the lion’s share. Discerning shoppers aren’t just buying more pieces-they’re also spending more on higher-value ones. This trend
is particularly pronounced when it comes to pieces priced $5,000 and above, with sales and customers increasing 22% and 17%, respectively.
This Year’s It Bag? Something More Attainable.
Shoppers are more down to earth this year… at least when it comes to their bag buys.
While top-tier luxury prices have continued to rise-and shoppers are spending, on average, 20% more on bags today than they were five years ago-this year shows
a trend towards slightly more accessible styles from flagships like Miu Miu and Loewe and emerging brands.
In 2024, buyer growth in the $1,000-$3,000 price range has increased by 13% compared to last year, marking the largest uptick of any price category- with a focus on good investments over trends.
BEYOND THE BIRKIN
It Was the Year of the Man Purse
Call it the Jacob Elordi Effect: Men’s bag searches are up a whopping 900% this year. Fellas’ Favorites: Gucci, Fendi, Chanel
The New Superfakes
Fakes are imitating life: While the most commonly counterfeited bags are still the usual suspects-Hermes, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci-we’ve seen a major uptick this year in Celine and The Row knockoffs following 2023’s quiet luxury boom. These “superfakes” are often jarringly similar to the real thing, with an attention to detail authenticators have seldom seen before. But, as always, there are tells. (So far this year, The RealReal has intercepted over 7,000 counterfeit bags during the authentication process.)
Vintage, Once Gatekept, Goes Mainstream
TikTok, lnstagram, popular media, and online marketplaces have lifted the veil on the once-exclusive world of vintage designer. Now, just about anyone can get their hands on-or at least become familiar with-the kind of archival fashion that was formerly roped-off and reserved to fashion insiders. No invite necessary.
Throwback TV Captured the Culture
With streaming, a fresh generation of fashion lovers are meeting Samantha Jones and Carmela Soprano for the first time. Sex & The City debuted on Netflix in April, and the show’s #1, #2, and #3 most-mentioned brands* are now up (Mr.) Big among Zoomers: Searches for Manolo Blahnik (#1) and Dolce & Gabbana (#2) are up 22% and 14% among Gen Z shoppers this year, respectively, and Prada (#3) isGen Z’s most-searched brand overall in 2024. Similarly, The Sopranos streaming on MAX and Hulu has catapulted it to cult status in conjunction with this year’s “mob wife” trend on TikTok: Searches for fur coats are up 103% among Gen Z shoppers and 80% among millennial ones.
*According to The Guardian, 2014
The Household Names
These formerly “IYKYK” collections from decades past are surging in popularity.
lssey Miyake
Iconic then, iconic now. Searches for the Japanese powerhouse are up 100% this year.
John Galliano
We can’t help by wonder if Carrie Bradshaw is responsible for the 96% jump in searches for gowns.
Vivienne Westwood
Sales increased 35% this year for the Queen of Punk.
Tom Ford for Gucci
The pencil skirts in particular are popping off: Searches are up 107% this year.
And as for the No Names? Searches for unbranded vintage are up 201% this year compared to last.
Creative Shakeups Drive Demand
Several maisons saw changes in creative direction this year, which spurred a surge in demand for their collections. Demand for Dries van Noten was up 200% the day after the designer announced his retirement, Valentino saw a 20% increase in demand for ready-to-wear after Pierpaolo Piccolo stepped down, and Chanel experienced a 26% lift in sales when Virginie Viard exited. When Alexander McQueen went public with its new creative director Sean McGirr in late 2023, demand climbed 15%. Same with Chloe:
We saw a 37’% rise in searches the day after Chemena Kamali’s first show. Demand for Roberto Cavalli saw a 200% increase after the iconic designer’s passing on April 12.
Want to Be an Early Adopter?
Wear these rapidly ascending vintage brands-for which sales are up 59% this year overall-before they officially become mainstream.
Claude Montana
When it comes to the King of the Shoulder Pad, searches are up 31%, Obsessions are up 53%, and demand for suiting is up 66%.
Courreges
The higher the hem… Searches are up 29% this year for Courreges, and Obsessions are up 65%.
Romeo Gigli
Fans of power dressing are searching for Romeo Gigli pieces 14% more this year, and Obsessing 64% more.
The C-Suite Took the Streets
Slacks and skirt suits are no longer relegated to the boardroom. From this year’s office siren trend to millennial nostalgia for wearing blazers to the club, everyday corporate attire is trending: The average sale price for ties is up 51% this year, and suiting has seen a 25% increase in total sales. Like its streetwear predecessors, this new off-duty aesthetic is heavily menswear-inspired, starring shoulder pads, tailored low-slung trousers, loafers, and beyond.
Classic Streetwear Took a Tumble
Sales for stalwart streetwear brands and sneakerhead staples are down this year.
SALE TRENDS YoY BRAND
-25% Supreme
-34% Off-White
-35% Nike Jordans
While Suiting Made a Jump
On the other hand, sales are up big for top tailoring brands.
Sleeper Brands Woke Up
We’ve seen a lift in vintage business attire by recently under-the-radar names.
Bally is one of our top brands to watch going into 2025.
And Footwear Got Formal
Women’s sneaker sales are down compared to mid-height heels, loafers, and ballet flats.
There’s a New Horse Girl In Town
And she’s decked out in a fringe leather jacket, listening to Cowboy Carter, and desperately looking for the perfect pair of Chloe culottes.
She might not even ride horses, but her look is decidedly western-inspired with equal parts boho and utilitarian influences. New Americana, if you will. Our data shows a strong demand for denim and tough, functional fabrics, with searches for vintage Levi’s up 69% and fringe leather up 68%. Searches are up big for Chloe blouses {+18%), denim {+49%), and culottes {+152%) this year. Same with bohemian silver jewelry {+81%), Doen with its gauzy sundresses {+50%), and vintage Diesel (up a whopping +600% this year, to be exact). Saddle up!
Sustainability Takes Center Stage
This year, shoppers prioritized sustainability more than ever: 49% of members say extending the life cycle of luxury is a primary reason they shop on TRR-that’s a 9% lift compared to last year. Meanwhile, 31% of shoppers and 35% of shoppers who also consign told us that, since the pandemic, they now focus on “buying fewer, more special luxury pieces.” 78% of members say they shop on The RealReal with “value” being top of mind.
Our Newest Initiative, As Is
Combined with Fair Condition, this newly launched category has the potential to keep upwards of 150,000 items from top luxury brands in circulation per year.
Because sustainability is a primary concern for more and more shoppers, we’re seeing them embrace items that may need repairs or refurbishment, either for the potential to create something totally personalized or the opportunity to acquire luxury for a more accessible price point (As Is pieces are priced, on average, 20% less than Fair Condition items). We define Fair Condition items as those with heavy signs of wear, like seam splitting, missing embellishments, discoloration, or heavy scuffs.
On the other hand, As Is items show extensive signs of wear and may require repair (things like broken hardware, small holes, or minor tears). We currently only accept As Is items from a curated group of high-value brands: Burberry, Celine, Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Goyard, Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, and Prada.
Glossary
Resale Value
Measures the percent of original retail price retained on the secondary market on TRR
ASP
Measures the average sale price (ASP) of an item sold by TRR
YoY
Compares January 1, 2024 to July 31, 2024 to the same time period in 2023
Demand
Measures searches on TRR
Baby Boomer
Year Born: 1946-19641 Age in 2024: 60-78
GenX
Year Born: 1965-1980 I Age in 2024: 44-59
Millennial
Year Born: 1981-1996 I Age in 2024: 28-43
Genz
Year Born: 1997-2012 I Age in 2024: 12-27
GMV
Gross merchandise value, or the total value of items sold
MSRP
Short for “manufacturer’s suggested retail price,” or the typical retail price for an item
