Clothing brands and retailers are no longer burying their heads in the sand. “Can’t put your head in the sand”, recognizes Amélie Poisson, deputy general manager of La Redoute. In 2021, the subsidiary of the Galeries Lafayette group launched its own sales platform dedicated to second-hand clothing, La Reboucle. “At Vinted”, explains the manager. A failure. Two years later, when inflation encouraged the French to buy more second-hand products, she changed her mind.
Under the same name, La Redoute launched a marketplace for products sold by professionals in November. Around 15,000 articles are posted online. “It will take 100,000”estimates Mme Poisson, to be credible in the face of the million references of new articles offered on La Redoute. But putting together this offer is not easy. As proof: among its partners is Rediv, a start-up born in 2013, which, on October 25, was placed in receivership…
It’s difficult, in fact, to find a place against the Vinted steamroller which captures a good part of the clothes to resell. Aude Viaud, founder of Smala, a platform specializing in second-hand children’s fashion and also a partner of La Redoute, agrees. Born in 2017, in Nantes, the site sells second-hand items “little worn” which he buys from families, as well as new unsold products from brands.
Tough battle
Its activity requires recovering these pieces sent in a box by families, checking them in a 4,000 square meter warehouse in Carquefou (Loire-Atlantique), ironing them, storing them and selling them in “generating a sufficient margin”. Smala, which raised 4 million euros in 2021, is today barely breaking even, despite growth of 35% this year. In 2024, the company is targeting 9 million euros in business volume.
The battle in this market will be even tougher as the major clothing brands enter it. According to a study by the French Fashion Institute unveiled on November 30, 48% of them already sell them and 28% have a similar project. Zara, the world number one in clothing, is expanding its Pre-owned platform: born in Spain in the spring, it has been accessible to the French since summer 2023.
Kiabi is also on the offensive to develop its online and in-store offering. It inaugurated two pilot stores in mid-November, in Madrid and Petite-Forêt (North). The low-cost fashion brand owned by the Mulliez family association has installed sections of second-hand items there, a market it entered four years ago. “In 2024, all Kiabis will include them, compared to 300 currently”specifies Estelle Urbain, director of new businesses at Kiabi, which operates 579 stores in Europe.
You have 10% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.