Finnish lifestyle business Marimekko is the latest brand to make space for a secondhand offering on its digital flagship, with the Aug. 25 opening of the Marimekko Pre-loved platform.
The platform, built through a partnership with U.S.-based white-label resale specialist Archive, will be initially open to Finnish consumers ahead of a wider rollout to other markets in the near future, the company said in a statement.
Marimekko’s head of innovations work Suvi-Elina Enqvist called the platform “a concrete manifestation of our timeless and long-lasting design philosophy. Marimekko dresses have been known to be passed on from one generation to the next, and the launch of Marimekko’s secondhand platform will bring this tradition into an even more tangible form.”
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Its launch is an important step in the brand’s “ambitious sustainability journey to lengthen [the brand’s] product lifetime and contribute to the circular economy,” she stated, further describing the platform as a “inspiring, community-driven marketplace filled with like-minded people who share a passion for bold prints and colors” and “a hassle-free place [for consumers] to sell their pre-loved Marimekko clothes.”
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Consumers will be able to list secondhand and vintage designs from the brand free of charge, with earnings available as cash or gift vouchers toward further purchases. Independent business-to-consumer vendors will also be able to sell there as well.
To celebrate the launch of Marimekko Pre-loved, the brand will also offer a selection of vintage dresses spanning from the ’60s to the 2000s drawn from its archive.
Marimekko operates a retail network of 150 stores and shops-in-shop in 15 countries, including flagships in New York, Tokyo, Sydney, Helsinki and Stockholm. According to the brand, which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2021, it is one of the most sought-after secondhand brands in its home market of Finland and Marimekko products hold their value well. In recent years, its colorful prints have taken pride of place in collaborations with Uniqlo and Adidas. It will team up with Scandinavian home goods behemoth Ikea in 2023.
The Finnish company’s 2021 financial results were the best in its history — net sales increased by 23 percent, driven by strong wholesale and retail gains in Finland, wholesale boosts in the Asia-Pacific region and Scandinavia, and solid retail sales in North America. This year’s net sales are projected to increase compared to last year’s total of 152.2 million euros.