Dive Brief:

• Rebag, the luxury bag and accessories reseller, partnered with Moda Operandi, the fashion curation platform, to launch a digital trunk show featuring more than 115 styles, the company announced on Tuesday. 
• The two companies created visual and editorial content to distribute across both their social media and digital channels. Moda Operandi hosted the trunk show on April 12 and allowed shoppers to browse the available items for a limited time, according to the announcement. 
• Rebag curated the assortment in the show from more than 30,000 items in its inventory. Among the brands featured were Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior.

Dive Insight:

Leading up to its partnership with Moda Operandi, Rebag has spent the past year plotting its expansion and introducing new technologies. In December, the resale startup raised $33 million in Series E funding to enhance its tech-enabled brick-and-mortar stores and develop its technology. At the time, the startup said its new categories, including luxury watches and fine jewelry, had grown sharply compared to the previous year.

In addition to raising funds and adding new products to its assortment, the startup has also been concentrating on its technology offerings. In February 2021, Rebag unveiled Clair AI, its image recognition tool that can recognize and price out luxury handbags. Later that year, the startup opened a storefront in Greenwich, Connecticut, equipped with its Clair Concierge kiosk that lets customers appraise their items before selling them.

Over the past few years, brands and retailers have been collaborating with resale companies. A recent study by McKinsey & Company showed that more and more consumers are attracted by rare, exclusive products while also addressing environmental sustainability. Burberry and The RealReal piloted a resale partnership in 2019. Plus, ThredUp has enlisted brands and retailers like Crocs, Gap, Madewell and Farfetch. 

In a statement, Moda Operandi and Rebag noted that their collaboration exemplified how resale companies and retailers could benefit from working with one another. For Rebag, the trunk show would allow the resale startup to highlight its products for Moda Operandi's international clientele.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Moda Operandi to further expand our online retail and shopping experience and reach new audiences within the luxury space," Charles Gorra, founder and CEO of Rebag, said in a statement. "Consumers will be able to shop the most exceptional handbags in our expertly-vetted inventory, particularly rare designer styles."

While Rebag spent 2021 raising money and rolling out tech tools, Moda Operandi has been shaking up its leadership team. In May 2021, the company named Jim Gold, formerly an executive at Neiman Marcus, as its CEO, according to Women's Wear Daily. Two months later, the company named April Henning as its new senior vice president and chief merchandising officer, Women's Wear Daily also reported.