Bellerose puts secondhand in the spotlight: a real-life test for retail

From September 2 to 7, Belgian brand Bellerose placed secondhand at the center of its Lille store. More than 1,000 revalued pieces, a carefully designed scenography and the strong timing of the Braderie de Lille set the stage for this retail operation. The initiative reflects a clear shift: circularity is progressively becoming part of the retail experience.

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A shift in perception, still to be consolidated

Until now, secondhand has mostly lived online. By dedicating an entire physical store to revalued pieces, Bellerose changes the way secondhand is staged. For one week, the offer takes on a new dimension: it asserts itself as an extension of the brand’s stylistic universe and as a fully desirable choice

“For us, this initiative is more than just a one-off event: it’s a way to explore the role secondhand can play tomorrow in the customer experience and in creating value for the brand.”— [Jonathan Bac, Chief Data Officer, Bellerose]

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A physical laboratory serving the brand

Highlighting secondhand in-store makes perfect sense in an industry where retail remains dominant: nearly 70% of fashion revenue in Europe still comes from physical points of sale. In this context, testing a revalued offer in-store allows brands to measure its appeal within the environment that concentrates the majority of sales. It is also an opportunity to understand how customers perceive secondhand when it is integrated into the traditional shopping journey, alongside new collections. Feedback from store teams then becomes invaluable for refining messaging, positioning and pricing.

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New commercial milestones

By leveraging the Braderie, Bellerose benefited from an exceptional flow of visitors. But the real opportunity goes further: secondhand can create its own key moments, distinct from seasonal sales and collection launches. These operations give pieces a new temporality, extending their lifecycle and reactivating the brand’s stylistic heritage.

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An economic and image equation to be leveraged

An economic and image equation to be leveragedThis kind of initiative can generate multiple benefits: clearing dormant stock, driving additional revenue, strengthening engagement with existing customers and increasing store attractiveness. But it also plays on another essential register: image. By embedding secondhand within a premium and curated framework, the brand reassures customers about the quality of revalued products and strengthens trust in its overall offer. Circularity is then perceived as a mark of credibility, durability and alignment with Bellerose’s DNA.

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Making circularity operational

Showcasing secondhand in-store requires careful preparation: selecting the right pieces, organizing their transfer from warehouses, managing inventory in real time and defining a pricing strategy consistent with the new offer. This is precisely the role of Faume Retail Solution, the technological layer that enables brands to run these operations seamlessly.

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A signal to the market

Bellerose is joining a broader movement seen across the industry, where brands are seeking to integrate secondhand into their physical stores. According to the Circular Fashion Federation and KPMG, the European secondhand clothing market is set to grow from €15.9 billion in 2024 to €26 billion by 2030, with an average annual growth rate of 8.5%.

This trajectory points to a structural shift: customers want to consume more responsibly, and circularity is becoming a lever of differentiation for brands. In this sense, Bellerose’s initiative aligns with a deeper market trend, combining attractiveness, performance and reassurance around its offer.

By putting secondhand in the spotlight, Bellerose sketches a vision of retail’s future where circularity stands as both a driver of growth and differentiation, and a mark of commitment.

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