Luxury official resale and the conditions for the "Chosen Archive"
Recently, the terms "Official Brand Resale" and "Brand Certified Pre-Owned" have suddenly become more common.
Gucci's partnership with The RealReal to launch an official vintage page,
Valentino's collaboration with vintage stores in various cities around the world under "Valentino Vintage," collecting their vintage items in exchange for vouchers,
An iconic example is Balenciaga's partnership with Reflant to start the "Re-sell Program."
In the world of watches, Rolex launched "Rolex Certified Pre-Owned" and established a framework that handles only certified used watches through authorized dealers.
All of these are signs that brands are beginning to take clear responsibility for their "secondary distribution."
So, within this flow, what kind of items will become the "Chosen Archive"?
Let's organize these conditions from several axes.
- What the official brand resale aims for
First, what does "Official Brand Resale" do?
In 2020, Gucci set up a dedicated page within The RealReal, participating in secondary distribution by curating vintage items approved by the brand.
Valentino launched "Valentino Vintage" in 2021, collaborating with vintage stores in various cities around the world to evaluate customers' vintage items and exchange them for vouchers.
Balenciaga has partnered with Reflant and introduced a program that handles everything from purchasing and appraisal from stores and online, to photography and consignment sales.
In the watch industry, Rolex's Certified Pre-Owned is a clear example.
Authorized dealers trade in Rolex watches that have been around for a certain number of years, perform overhaul and authenticity checks according to the brand's standards, and then resell with a "Certified Pre-Owned" certificate and a two-year warranty.
What they have in common is,
The brand itself guarantees "authenticity"
Maintaining a certain standard or higher in condition
・Showing at a price range and worldview that do not contradict the new market
these three points are key.
From the perspective of the entire secondary market, it is only a small part, but from the brand's point of view,
・Reducing negative images caused by circulation of counterfeit or poor-quality items
・Showing long-term use, proving durability and value
・Adjusting the sense of distance between new and vintage with our own hands
It means.
- Items that are more likely to be targeted for official resale
So, what common points do items that easily fall into the official resale or brand-approved vintage category have?
The first is whether it "symbolizes the brand."
In the Gucci×The RealReal initiative, many items with clear past logo usage and signature patterns, such as bags, shoes, and apparel, were picked up.
Even in Valentino Vintage, printed house codes and dresses are placed at the forefront.
The second is "condition and repairability."
Since brands attach guarantees in their own name, items with excessive damage or modification history are difficult to handle.
Rolex's CPO also only targets units that have been completely disassembled, serviced, and restored to their original specifications.
The third is whether or not "the provenance and age can be explained."
Like Valentino and Alexander McQueen with Vestiaire Collective's "Brand Approved," items that are checked once by the brand and re-sold with added context of age and collection are selected based on ease of matching with tags, internal labels, and archive materials.
Only those that meet these conditions are lined up in the official resale lineup as "past products worth handling" for the brand.
- The boundary between "just used" and "archive"
In the secondary market, even for the same model, there is a distinction between items treated as "used" and those treated as "archive".
There are several layers at this boundary.
Importance of the designer and the era
Items from specific creative director eras (e.g., Phoebe Philo's Celine, Raf Simons' Jil Sander) or seasons that marked a turning point for the brand tend to have documentary value later.
Uniqueness of design and structure
Not just large logos, but whether there are cutting techniques and material uses unique to that brand.
Accumulation of terms
Not during the initial hype after release, but over 5 or 10 years, whether the value remains stable and whether it is still being selectively purchased.
In the world of watches, certain models of Rolex and Patek Philippe have built resale value as "investment targets" by meeting these conditions.
In fashion, Hermès' Birkin, Chanel's Classic Flap, and coats or jackets from specific eras are evaluated through similar mechanisms.
Official brand resale can be said to be drawing the line between "things that can become archives" and "those that cannot."
- Secondary distribution is shifting from "outside the brand" to an "expanded inside."
A while ago, secondary distribution was a world outside the brand.
Outlet and secondhand markets are still treated as places where "unsold" or "abandoned" items flow, and high brands probably want to keep as much distance as possible from this area.
However, currently, Kering has invested in Vestiaire Collective,
Alexander McQueen collaborates with Vestiaire to select "Brand Approved" pieces,
Valentino collaborates with vintage stores around the world to collect its own vintage pieces,
Secondary distribution is gradually transforming from "outside the brand" to a "field that expands the brand's worldview."
Official resale, among which,
Indicating pieces that the brand itself recognizes as part of its archive
Designing the difference in value between new and used items based on the brand's standards
・Showing a concrete system for attitudes toward circulation and sustainability
which plays a role in this.
Of course, there are also movements where the EU is strictly regulating resale prices for luxury brands,
The balance between official resale and free secondary distribution is an area that will continue to be adjusted.
- Conditions for "chosen archives"
Considering the movements so far, the conditions for items that are likely to remain as "chosen archives" in the future become apparent.
・They hold a clear meaning within the brand's history
・The quality of structure and materials is stable at a high level
・With proper care and restoration, they still have a sufficient lifespan remaining
・The era and collection can be traced to some extent through tags and documents
・Not short-term hype in the market, but continued evaluation over a certain period
These do not necessarily mean "can be sold at a high price."
Rather, it can be said that the conditions for quietly being chosen are "clothes that we want to remain for a long time" and "clothes that continue to hold meaning even outside the brand."
Finally, a word from MOOD
MOOD is a select shop, a resale platform, and not an official archive institution of any brand.
Even so, when touching archives and vintage items daily, there are moments when I feel, "This piece will probably be sought after by someone even ten years from now."
that sense comes more from the persuasiveness of craftsmanship and the connection to the brand's history than from high prices or temporary buzz.
In the coming era where official resale of luxury brands is expanding,
As MOOD, we are quietly aware of the "chosen archive" criteria,
We want to treat each piece we put on the store shelves as something that remains in someone's wardrobe for as long as possible.
