How The Closet Clearout Became The Celebrity Hobby Of Choice
Making some extra cash has never had quite so much cachet, this year the wardrobe resale has become the ultimate It-girl activity. Where once these modern fashion icons were known for displaying their impeccable style on the streets of the style capitals, now we find them behind a trestle table, bum bag on waist, with a pile of their best pre-loved pieces inviting us in to shop them.
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The most famous, of course, came last year with Chloë Sevigny’s Sale of the Century held in New York with a queue that twice wrapped around a SoHo block. This excitement was mirrored in early June 2024 when Jenna Lyons announced that she would be getting in on the selling, later having to move it from a stoop sale to a larger venue to accommodate the anticipated crowds. But these New Yorkers are far from alone in this pursuit.
Stylists Francesca Burns and Claudia Sinclair host Resale Therapy with Pixie Geldof; broadcaster Zezi Ifore and Liz Artur Johnson are currently looking to expand theirs called PLENTY PLENTY and, in North London, you’ll now catch writer and forever well-styled Zadie Smith hosting charity jumble sales where labels traverse the entire fashion spectrum.
Besides being an opportunity to secure some fantastic new-to-you treasures, these sales have allowed us to breathe joy into a new form of consumption, explains Liana Satenstein, the organiser behind Sale of the Century. ‘You can get whatever you want online using the right search term,’ she shares. ‘But this buying process can feel sterile and sometimes exhausting. There's no thoughtfulness. These sales are more meaningful because they are so interactive and personal.’
I’ll happily admit that I too have fallen fast for visiting as many of these sorts of sales as possible. I love that they can feel akin to routing through somebody’s wardrobe without the home invasion and I find that inspiration is all around, even in the pieces you don’t take home with you. I was thrilled to take home a pair of Geldof’s Prada sunglasses from its spring 2011 collection. I’d long lusted after them and nabbed them for a fraction of their original retail price. Plus, it’s so fun to share the story of how I acquired them should anyone ask (or listen).
ELLE contributing editor, Camille Charriere, who hosted her own sale, agrees: ‘I think it's much nicer to rifle through someone's wardrobe’s cast-offs than selling online, where it can be hit and miss or you can’t send it back.’
If you’re looking to host your own, be sure to consider not just where you choose to host it, but also centre yourself, the seller, as the cachet. People want to know where the pieces come from, where they were last worn and, ultimately, do they have any wonderful stories?
‘Did some drummer of a big band hit on you 10 years ago when you wore that lace-trimmed Dior slip dress? Advertise that!,’ Satenstein adds. ‘Did you club around Paris one summer in those incredibly gorgeous Manolo kitten heels? Talk about it! People like to world build; people like to dream.’
Satenstein’s main advice for those convinced to hold their own is: ‘Be present for it. Don't just drop off your clothes and leave. People are buying your clothes because of you and the stories you have to say about them.’ Charriere offers more practical advice: ensure you have ‘prices that make it worth the trek, a good variety of items, a killer playlist and an everything must go attitude.’
Now, who can convince Alexa Chung to host one?
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