China’s luxury resale market has picked up steam in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, attracting global players and a new breed of secondhand fashion startups.
Luxury resale chain Brand Off, owned by Japan’s largest pre-owned reseller Komehyo, is among a growing list of companies that recently joined Tmall Global, Alibaba Group’s cross-border online marketplace.
Brand Off stores, known for their range of secondhand designer goods and vintage rarities, including Hermès Birkin bags, has long been a go-to destination for Chinese shoppers in Japan. During peak seasons, tourists worldwide can contribute up to half of the company’s monthly revenues.
Now, Brand Off is expanding in China. We sat down with Brand Off’s Chairman and CEO Yuya Yamauchi last month to hear how the Covid-19 pandemic sped up the company’s expansion in China, the growth of the secondhand luxury market and their newly inked partnership with Tmall Global.