EssenceMediacom: eBay’s In Vogue

Polaroid of a British model Twiggy in 1967 wearing a red top and holding a Chanel bag over her head next to another polaroid replicating the image with Twiggy in 2023

EssenceMediacom: eBay’s In Vogue

Redefining circular retail and luxury fashion

eBay is home to millions of pre-owned and vintage fashion pieces but public perception of the brand’s high-end fashion credentials was lacking. This, paired with the insight that 64% of Gen Z shoppers prefer to shop second-hand before buying new and that fast fashion contributes millions of tonnes of textile waste each year, was the basis of EssenceMediacom’s campaign for eBay.

eBay partnered with Condé Nast to look back through over 100 years of Vogue – the magazine synonymous with luxury fashion and the ultimate authority on style. Almost all of the most iconic pieces from archive editions of the magazine could be sourced on eBay today, inspiring a year-long partnership that put eBay in the middle of three of the fashion milestones of the year with Vogue.

This started with the key fall fashion season, where top models and influencers donned the latest looks with items sourced from eBay. Then at the world’s biggest fashion event of the year, eBay was centre-stage in the form of a collaboration with trend-setting rapper Eye Spice. For those watching the event online, viewers could shop her look in a first-of-its-kind ecommerce integration. Finally, eBay collaborated with iconic 60s model Twiggy for London Fashion Week, inviting her to recreate famous photoshoots from the 60s using pieces found on eBay, featured in the October issue of British Vogue. The collaboration extended beyond the print edition, with Twiggy wowing the red carpet in a look created by items sourced on the marketplace.

Throughout the campaign, eBay was placed at the centre of the luxury and circular fashion conversation, generating $5 million in earned social media, half a billion impressions, and a remarkable 447% increase in eBay's perception as a “glamorous” brand. By showcasing the enduring allure of luxury fashion through vintage finds, eBay positioned itself as the premier fashion destination for Gen Z consumers, signalling a transformative shift in the fashion landscape.