Vestiaire Collective: How does the luxury second-hand platform guarantee that you won't receive a fake?

Vestiaire Collective invests in authentication teams that check thousands of products for authenticity every year

Many people who buy fashion and accessories on the secondary market are looking for a unique opportunity: rare pieces, sold-out new releases, or classics at bargain prices. But there's one thing no one wants: to fall into the counterfeit trap. Unfortunately, the fake market has been booming for years and is getting faster, better, and more sophisticated all the time. And so the risk – and with it the effort – of distinguishing originals from fakes is increasing. One of the major global players isVestiaire Collective . For 15 years, they have not only sold pre-loved fashion online, but also invest a lot of time in training the authentication team that checks thousands of products for authenticity every year. What role do the respective brands play in this control, and what measures can be taken to ensure worry-free shopping? Victoire Boyer, Head of Authentication, in an interview about new methods, surprising partnerships – and her extremely talented nose.

VOGUE: Is it becoming more difficult to spot fakes?

Victoire Boyer: Counterfeits have existed for decades; it's not a new problem. But yes, they're getting better and better. This is also due to social media, as everyone has easier access to new collections and details, so counterfeits are produced in much less time. That's why it was extremely important for us to have direct contacts with the labels to ensure we could anticipate future counterfeits.

Did some brands initially have reservations about working with you?

We've always cultivated relationships with labels because our founders wanted to create a trusted platform supported by the respective brands. The brands, for their part, are also very interested in understanding the secondhand market and counterfeit trends. Today, I speak with several fashion houses weekly. It's important to improve our expertise daily, as every day brings new collections, collaborations, and models. Our goal is to have at least one contact person at all labels to provide authentication support if needed. Our team also receives training from the brands, access to archives, internal documentation, and even readers to verify embedded chips and confirm authenticity.

Would that be the solution to all problems? If every luxury brand in the world used such chips in their products?