Reselling with Purpose: How a Vintage Stylist Navigates Depop’s Trend-Driven World

Shannon began her journey reselling as a utilitarian way to refresh her wardrobe and earn a little extra cash. Now, a decade later, she's built a curated archive, works full-time at Heavn by Marc Jacobs, and still keeps one foot in the resale world.

Originally from Texas and now based in Los Angeles, Shannon offers a look into her Depop journey, sharing observations on the rise of fast fashion resellers, how resale has altered thrift culture, and the relationship between sustainability and secondhand shopping.

Shannon's love for fashion first ignited in middle school during the peak of Tumblr's influence in the early 2010s. While the platform was notorious for promoting toxic diet culture and romanticizing mental illness, it also served as a space for creative exploration and expression, especially for fashion.

For Shannon, it was where she first discovered Maison Margiela's iconic Tabi shoes, sparking her obsession with archival and designer pieces, and this fascination is still alive and well over 13 years later.

What began as a convenient way to cycle through her wardrobe and make some extra money quickly shifted to something much deeper. Pre-pandemic, Shannon worked at a vintage store with access to wholesale clothing and joined Depop's college program. Here, mentors encouraged her to take selling more seriously, "They really encouraged me to start selling more, and at the time, I was working at a vintage store where you could buy stuff wholesale," she recalls.

Then came 2020. The stores closed, giving Shannon some time to reflect. She leaned into her niche, and she began to distance herself from just vintage clothing, and focused on specifically vintage designer and archival fashion. So, what was once a practicality became a clear calling.

Now, years later, Shannon has further specified her niche, carving out an aesthetic lane for her shop. Her shop is not your average vintage curation, it's a highly personal blend of archival fashion, early-2000s runway flair, and niche designers. Her aesthetic draws from her taste, which leans towards unique pieces that tell a story, especially pieces that have been used in film and television productions.

"My preference is always archival runway," she shares. "But anything colorful – I love pattern."

Vintage Anna Sui is one of her personal favorites. While the brand may not be the most popular or lucrative, it resonates with her style. "They can be surprisingly easy to find at a good price," she says, "so I feel like I always snatch them up because they're kind of like my personal taste."

Her shop also features Japanese brands as well as other pieces that catch her eye, rather than catering to mass-market trends. Shannon is dedicated to curating with authenticity, even if that's not the most profitable route. This authenticity is what keeps Shannon so passionate about fashion and reselling. It not about chasing sales for her, it's about curating a collection and sharing pieces that she genuinely loves.

As the resale market continues to grow, platforms like Depop have become hotspots for both curated vintage reselling and fast fashion flipping. The app is often branded as a sustainable alternative to shopping and contributing to textile waste, but it is currently telling a more complex story.

Shannon openly reflects on how the platform has changed. "Yeah, I definitely think that there has been an increase in fast fashion resellers since I started using it in 2015 to 2020. Back then, it was much more niche," she says.  

She expresses her frustration over how some Depop sellers misrepresent what they are selling."I've definitely noticed people trying to sell modern pieces but kind of disguising the language as being something that it's not," she notes. To her, this is what undermines the values Depop was built on.

For Shannon, true sustainability lies in good quality pieces that will last the test of time. She gravitates towards pieces that tell a story, which is why she is so drawn to archival fashion. Her shop isn't about following trends or being the most "current"; it's about preserving fashion history and appreciating clothing.

In numerous ways, Shannon embodies what resell culture could and should be: a blend of thoughtful curation, strong appreciation for craftsmanship, and dedication to authenticity above all else.

She reminds us that sustainability isn't just about buying secondhand clothing, it's about shopping with intention.

As resale platforms continue to grow and change, the line between conscious consumption and overconsumption becomes blurred. Sellers like Shannon prove that it is still possible to value history and individual taste in a landscape so saturated by micro-trends. Her shop is a quiet rejection of fast fashion.

Sitting down and talking to Shannon was more than just a conversation about fashion; it was a meaningful look into the mind of a small business owner who genuinely loves the pieces she shares. I left the conversation inspired, not just as a fashion enthusiast, but as someone who believes in the power of intentional shopping and individual style.

Follow Shannon's Work:

Website: historianvintage.com

Instagram: @historian.vintage

Depop: @hotgirlhistorian