Tiana Blount-Muscarella
Staff Writer
Within a world filled with differences of race, identity and culture; one of the very few things that bring people together is the idea of fashion. A constantly evolving, trend-setting phenomenon where creativity flows and allows self-expression that you can wear. eBay rose to the challenge by showcasing second hand clothing during London Fashion Week.
These evolvements not only change from what people like, but are affected by world events, societal views, nostalgia for the past, and more.
Whether you follow the latest trend you see in magazines, or you have your own sense of cutting-edge styles, you will find a designer who has created a community that has the same interests as you.
In order to bring all of these communities together outside the media, major cities such as New York, Milan, Los Angeles, Paris and more create their own fashion weeks.
London Fashion Week is one of the many worldwide functions where top fashion designers and brands in the industry display their newest work on the runway for the world to see.
This year’s show was hosted from Sept. 12 to Sept. 17 at 180 Strand; inclusive invite only. The show presented 72 designers, 48 runway shows, 17 presentations and 63 additional events.
Unexpectedly, in addition to familiar names like Harris Reed and H&M, one of the brands showcasing on the first day, Sept. 12, made its debut: eBay, curated by a collective of British designers.
eBay is an online marketplace created to sell and buy pre-owned items from their existing owners, including clothing. Their goal as a corporation is to connect a community where all are welcomed and that is also affordable to all.
With this being their statement as a business, they wished to incorporate this into their debut on the runway by throwing away the idea of fast fashion and betraying second-hand, “pre-loved,” sustainable outfits.
They have the desire where it can be affordable to the average person, listing their pieces only 24 euros to a maximum of 1,000 euros eBay took pieces of clothing from designer and non-designer brands from the last 40 years and created outfits you could buy right as the models exited the runway.
Vice President of Fashion Club Eliza Kelleher, loved eBay’s performance on the runway.
“In general, if second-hand clothing is styled in a great way it is just as deserving of fashion week as any type of clothing,” Kelleher said.
With this being the first time in fashion history that a second-hand outfit has been portrayed on the runway, it leaves the globe asking the question, was this a one-time occurrence or will this take the world by storm?
As a community, it is more normalized to view and buy clothing first-hand from known brands and designers we view on the runway. eBay wanted to use its performance to dismiss the negative views of second-hand clothing as gross or unworthy, and to create into worldwide acceptance.
As the positive feedback continues to flow throughout the media, eBay hopes for this to grow into something much more and to inspire other brands to follow their lead.
To continue their message, they have listed some of their pieces to their store front so access is not limited just to those who have attended the show. As trends constantly change they make it their goal to always be accounted for and become a greater influence in the public eye.
