This interview has once again confirmed that among the consumer base for second-hand clothing in Shanghai, young people represent the largest potential customer segment. This aligns with the data I gathered in the scale of my research. From the interview with Ms. Xu, who primarily focuses on offline sales, I have gained valuable insights. He emphasizes the importance of in-person interactions, allowing customers to try on clothes and engage in communication.
However, if the sales approach were to shift to online, I need to consider how to convey a similar experience visually to online viewers as compared to the physical store. Simultaneously, testing how to handle second-hand clothing online and increasing awareness among young people will be crucial aspects of the upcoming intervention.
In my interview with Xu, she mentioned that before starting her vintage shop in Shanghai, she had been studying in Japan. This reminded me of a passage from an interview between Bruno Pieters and Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution Day, from 10 years ago. In it, they mentioned, “recent studies suggest that students all over the globe are becoming interested (95% of Chinese students said they would love to learn about sustainability but are presently lacking resources). Just wait until this lot get hold of the resources…or when the myriad of Chinese students studying in London go back home…
I believe that not only students in London, but also Japanese students, in becoming aware of and embracing second-hand culture, will bring these new concepts back to Shanghai, China. The founder of LYSAXU has also confirmed this point, indicating that the second-hand culture in China is also developing and influencing the younger generation.
Pieters,B. (2013). Interview with Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution Day. https://www.fashionrevolution.org/uk-blog/interview-with-orsola-de-castro-co-founder-of-fashion-revolution-day/