ITV reality show Love Island has partnered with eBay UK as part of efforts to move away from fast fashion and raise the profile of pre-loved clothing.
As part of the tie-up, Love Islanders’ wardrobes will be given a total refresh this summer, and they will wear pre-loved clothes during the series. A shared wardrobe will be situated in the show’s villa for the first time.
The previous Love Island fashion sponsor was I Saw It First – and before that, Missguided.
The new collaboration comes after new research and data from eBay revealed UK shoppers are showing signs of a move away from fast fashion. A fifth of respondents admitted they buy more second-hand fashion compared to two years ago and reveal on average, that 16% of their wardrobes are made up of pre-loved clothes.
According to eBay UK, those aged 18 to 34 have the highest average percentage of second-hand clothes in their wardrobe (22%), nearly double that of over-55s (12%).
Money-saving (54%) and protecting our planet (37%) are the biggest factors as to why people shop second-hand, but there were plenty of reasons given for the move away from fast fashion.
Highlighting the impact shows like Love Island can have on culture and purchasing habits, eBay UK said after last year’s show searches on its website reflected what contestants wore. The 2021 winner, Millie, wore a one shoulder marble dress and apparently prompted a 127% increase in searches for ‘marble dress’ at the time.
Jemma Tadd, head of fashion at eBay UK, commented: “The impact of Love Island and its stars across the UK is undeniable and together we want to inspire the nation to choose pre-loved first when shopping – even if this means buying or selling one or two pre-loved items to start with, it’s a step in the right direction.”
She added: “We can’t wait to change the conversation and dress the islanders in pre-loved outfits for the very first time.”
Mike Spencer, executive producer of Love Island, remarked: “As a show we strive to be a more eco-friendly production with more focus on ways in which we can visibly show this on screen.”
Additionally, eBay UK has recruited celebrity stylist and second-hand enthusiast, Amy Bannerman, to style this year’s contestants. In the past, she has styled celebrities such as Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Sophie Turner, Jonathan Van Ness and Lena Dunham.
In related circular fashion news today, French Connection has launched its own rental proposition working with Hirestreet and its Zoa Rental technology. The new rental collection can be found on FrenchConnectionRental.com, and is yet another development in the move away from fast fashion consumerism.
[Image credit: eBay UK]
