Against the backdrop of an industry-wide luxury slowdown, resale shoppers pivoted away from chasing trends and instead embraced pre-owned pieces emphasizing individuality, according to Fashionphile’s 2025 Ultra-Luxury Resale Report. As Lauren Leger, the company’s senior director of brand marketing, puts it: “2025 was the year resale became personal.”

“Shoppers used pre-owned pieces to express identity, not just status,” she continued. “They moved away from the idea of fashion as consumption and toward fashion as storytelling.”

To compile its annual resale report, Fashionphile analyzed millions of data points across search, engagement, follows, add-to-bag actions and completed sales from January 2024 through May 2025. It found that cultural shifts across pop culture and the fashion industry especially drove demand. For instance, the luxury resale platform observed a 45% year-over-year (YoY) engagement surge for “The White Lotus”-inspired resortwear, while Formula 1 captivated the fashion world with 49.6% YoY sales growth. This interest in sports-and-fashion crossovers also drove a 277.4% spike in sales from the Gucci x Adidas and Balenciaga x Adidas collaborations.

Creative director switch-ups at top luxury houses dominated headlines this year, but this high-fashion game of musical chairs also influenced resale shopping patterns. After Demna exited Balenciaga to take the top spot at Gucci, Balenciaga’s Le City sales rose 525% YoY. Michael Rider made his Celine debut in July, which sparked a renewed appetite for Celine’s Phantom (which Rider reintroduced for Spring 2026) as searches spiked 576.4%. Following Jonathan Anderson’s long-rumored pivot from Loewe to Dior, searches for Loewe’s Puzzle Bag were up by 13.3%.

“Fashionphiles are translating what they watch and experience into how they shop, choosing pieces that help them tell their own story within a larger cultural one,” Leger shared.

Fashionphile tracked this year’s ‘it’ bags by observing measurable momentum across follows, searches and sell-through rate. Alaïa’s Le Teckel came out on top with a 502% increase in follows YoY. Following closely behind were The Row’s N/S Park Tote (up 445% YoY) and Bottega Veneta’s Andiamo (up 304% YoY). “These weren’t flash trends,” Leger said of Fashionphile’s 2025 ‘it’ bags. “They were investment pieces that balanced wearability with design credibility.”

For Fashionphile’s most-shopped bags, Louis Vuitton’s Speedy soared as an investment piece, followed by Chanel’s Double Flap, Gucci’s Marmont, Hermès’ Evelyne and Saint Laurent’s Loulou. Merging luxury and utility, crossbody bags were 2025’s favorite style, with Louis Vuitton’s Pochette Metis emerging as a standout piece.

Broken down by generation, Gen Z’s most-purchased bag was Hermès’ Sac Roulis, Millennials’ was Chanel’s Wallet on Chain, Gen X’s was Goyard’s Saint Louis and Baby Boomers’ was Louis Vuitton’s Artsy. However, Chanel’s Double Flap transcended generations as a top-viewed bag. As for the collaboration of the year, searches for Louis Vuitton x Murakami jumped 1,119% YoY.

In the jewelry space, Tiffany & Co.’s Return to Tiffany Oval Tag Choker was a fan-favorite, along with Cartier’s Tank Francaise leading the timepiece category.

In the Labubu era, it’s no surprise that bag charms also dominated the accessory category, with searches jumping 85% YoY. But instead of the furry gremlin-like creatures, Fashionphile’s top bag charms included Louis Vuitton’s Fleur De Monogram, Hermès’ Rodeo Horse and Saint Laurent’s Berlingo. 

Out of all of Fashionphile’s findings, what surprised Leger the most was Goyard’s impressive rise. “Searches for the brand jumped 400%, which made it one of the most hunted labels of the year,” Leger noted. “It showed that discretion is having a moment, and that quiet luxury isn’t going anywhere. I was also struck by how consistent the investment mindset has become. Even in accessories, shoppers chose pieces with long-term value and emotional weight.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Fashionphile predicts the rise of artificial intelligence will fuel a return to authenticity, tactility and warmth. “There’s an appetite for imperfection and personal history,” Leger said. “The dress code next year is human.” Along with a resurgence of vintage pieces, the platform expects to see continued growth in satin, velvet and embossed finishes. Some of the key trending searches as we head into 2026 include neutral bags (up 200%), satin (up 181%), vintage (up 108%), metallic (up 65%) and heart bags (up 60.4%).

“Resale has evolved from a category into a culture,” Leger said. “It’s no longer about what’s trending, but what’s personal. Every handbag or piece of jewelry carries a story, and that’s what connects people to luxury in a lasting way.”

Read the full report here.

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