Despite constant exposure to luxury advertising, Gen Z is increasingly choosing alternatives to the latest fashion collections, particularly secondhand and vintage pieces.
Higher luxury prices have led some young consumers to question the value of these products. An Esade analysis published by Forbes found that the global luxury consumer base declined from 400 million in 2022 to 340 million in 2025, but total spending stayed relatively stable.
ThredUp's 2026 Resale Report predicts the worldwide secondhand market will hit £296 billion ($393 billion) by 2030, with Gen Z and Millennials making up most of its growth.
Research by the Boston Consulting Group and Vestiaire Collective found that 74% of Gen Z respondents cited price and affordability as reasons for purchasing secondhand.
The same study showed that secondhand fashion makes up about 36%of Gen Z's clothing and 45% of its handbags.
The Thrill of Finding
Secondhand shopping offers access to items unavailable in current collections.
BCG found that Gen Z shoppers look for limited or sold-out pieces and use secondhand fashion to define their style. About 80% of them reported discovering or purchasing a new brand through secondhand shopping.
Shoppers now search for specific seasons, materials, designers, and runway looks. For example, searches for 2000s fashion rose 93% in the past year.
According to The RealReal's 2026 data, demand for vintage – generally defined as pieces at least 15 years old – has risen 432% since 2020.
Luxury Borrows From Vintage
Luxury fashion brands are increasingly including worn and vintage looks in their latest collections.
Prada's Fall/Winter 2026 women's clothes featured dirty cuffs, torn edges, and loose threads inspired by the brand's earlier designs. Its men's collection had wrinkles, creases, and worn details that made new garments appear older.
Coach has similarly connected its current designs to vintage styles. The Resort 2027 collection, presented in June 2026, featured washed leather and patchwork. Coach also partnered with Depop for a pop-up event showcasing secondhand bags.
Diesel continued this trend in its Spring/Summer 2027 collection, showing torn tops, unfinished tailoring, and heavily distressed clothes.
Miu Miu's Upcycled 2026 collection, launched on 18 May 2026, reimagines vintage pieces using the brand's archive.
The collection features classic white cotton shirts and khaki chinos, each hand-finished. This unique look highlights the appeal of vintage and secondhand fashion, offering garments with an individual feel.
A Different Kind of Status
Older pieces connect to a specific era, designer, or collection, giving shoppers a more distinctive style than current releases.
According to Vogue Business, 44% of secondhand luxury shoppers are motivated by the chance to find something unique or rare.
'The shift is not only what Gen Z are wearing, but how they're wearing it–new codes, new gestures,'luxury strategist Richard Gray told Vogue in September 2026.
'The battered thing with the expensive thing, the Vinted find, and the piece that doesn't quite belong. It's a bit odd and wrong–a bit anti-algorithm.'
Gen Z still buys luxury, but resale gives younger shoppers another way to access designer fashion, especially through older pieces and past collections. For luxury brands, that makes the past increasingly relevant to the way a new generation shops, dresses and defines its personal style.
