eBay's Watchlist Trend Report confirms our obsession with fashion from the past From archive bags to vintage watches, the platform reveals the new must-have objects in the second-hand market

To understand where fashion is headed, it's not enough to watch the runways: you also need to look at what people are searching for and buying online. It is from this perspective that eBay has presented the Watchlist Trend Report, in this case covering the SS26 season — a study that analyzes searches on the platform to identify shifts in consumer taste.

The past never goes out of style

Archive fashion continues to enjoy enormous success. Among the phenomena identified by the report is the so-called Archive Effect. The average selling prices of pieces from Dior's Galliano era, for example, have risen by 81% since the beginning of the year — a figure that shows how younger generations seem to have developed a kind of nostalgia for eras they never lived through, rediscovering through archives a past they know only from photographs and stories.

But behind this revival lie not only aesthetic or sentimental reasons: buying second-hand also means being able to access high-end brands and pieces at prices that are often more affordable than retail, with the sense of getting greater value from one's purchase. The allure of the archive thus meets a very concrete logic: owning something designer, with a history behind it, without necessarily having to pay the price of new.

The case of John Galliano is particularly emblematic, because the renewed interest in the creative director's collections cannot be explained by nostalgia alone, but also by the designer's regained centrality in the conversation surrounding the contemporary creative landscape. His era at Dior has now entered fashion's collective imagination, becoming a benchmark for creative vision and aesthetic research.

The luxury of owning an icon

It Bags dominate the resale market: Hermès Birkins and Kellys accounted for nine of the ten most expensive accessory purchases on eBay this year. Alongside the most celebrated models, interest in archive bags from the great maisons is also growing. According to eBay data, between September 2025 and September 2026, global listings for the Balenciaga Le City increased by 936%, those for the Loewe Amazona 180 by 440%, and those for the Valentino Garavani VLogo by 358%. When a bag reaches this status, the line between fashion and investment becomes increasingly blurred: one can't help but wonder whether it is still being bought to be worn, or primarily for the value it might accrue over time.

The celebrity effect

What most influences contemporary desires, however, is the Celebrity Effect, as it is defined in eBay's Watchlist Trend Report. The Margaux Bag by The Row, worn by Zoë Kravitz and Kendall Jenner, and the Gucci Giglio Tote, spotted on Dakota Johnson and Suki Waterhouse, are among the examples cited in the report.

The visibility gained by both styles is directly reflected in the market: between January and September 2026, the average selling price of the Margaux — now a true cult object and barely available at retail — rose by 137% on eBay. Over the same period, the Giglio Tote recorded a growth of 103%. These figures show how a single appearance in street style or on social media can transform a bag into an object of desire. It's hard not to wonder how much we genuinely like an accessory, and how much we only start to like it after seeing it on the right person.

What makes this evolution even more interesting is the growing presence of bags in the male wardrobe. From Erling Haaland to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to Jacob Elordi, footballers, basketball players, and actors are helping to break down the traditional association of this accessory with the female world, making it an increasingly natural presence in men's style as well.

The phenomenon extends to other accessories too. From the Cartier Tank sported by Harry Styles to the Rolex 1908 worn by Leonardo DiCaprio, watches are generating clear ripple effects in the resale market as well: between September 2025 and September 2026, the average selling price of the Rolex 1908 grew by 1,591%, while that of the Tank Louis Cartier rose by 151%.

The return of cult pieces

Among the most notable trends are Prada skirts, which took center stage on the SS27 runway: in the days following the Milan show, global searches for Prada skirts on eBay increased by more than 360% compared to the beginning of September. Vintage T-shirts are also winning over celebrities and enthusiasts alike: Zendaya, for instance, wore a Spider-Man one on the red carpet, turning a simple garment into a high-low style statement. It comes as no surprise that in 2026 the search term vintage T-shirt was entered more than 5,532 times per hour on eBay.

The trend extends to footwear as well: since the start of Fashion Month, searches for slingback pumps have increased by more than 65%, while those for Chanel styles have grown by more than 50%. A result that fits into the so-called Blazy-mania: the arrival of Matthieu Blazy as the maison's creative director has reignited interest in the brand, bringing its footwear back into the spotlight as well.

The value of what endures

As much as we like to think we are searching for something unique, we remain inevitably influenced by trends and their constant comebacks. The second-hand market carries with it a contradiction: it is born from the possibility of rescuing objects from the cycle of fast consumption, yet it participates in the creation of new obsessions all the same. It remains, nonetheless, an opportunity to treat oneself to something special, reduce waste, and perhaps free up space in someone's wardrobe, ready to welcome new pieces. Because what ends up in a box in the basement today might become a new generation's vintage treasure tomorrow.