The creative and circular approach to upcycle items on The RealReal deemed unsellable
Circle of Friends Stoop Series chat with Rachel Glicksberg, Women's Fashion and New Initiatives Lead at The RealReal
Hi! I’m Hilliary, founder of Circle of Friends- conversations, connections, and events centered around circularity. You can also find me on instagram where I host The Stoop Series. Subscribe for conversations wtih industry leaders, founders, and changemakers + get invites to irl events.
My latest guest on the stoop is Rachel Glicksberg, the Women's Fashion and New Initiatives Lead of TheRealReal. Rachel is an advocate for more circular practices in the fashion industry, a champion of emerging designers, a mentor to the next generation of industry leaders, and just one of the kindest and most supportive people I am grateful to have in my circle.
At The RealReal, Rachel is the creative mind behind The RealReal Upcycling collections. Not every item consigned to The RealReal is fit for sale. To keep even those pieces in circulation, TRR teams up with indie and emerging designers for an upcycling initiative, where they reimagine garments to create sought-after, one-of-a-kind pieces. Previous partnerships include Ian Allen Greer, Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist Presley Oldham, Gypsy Sport, Collina Strada, and collaborations with FIT students.
Given that we have enough clothes for the next 6 generations (!!!), it’s never been more important to find creative solutions to avoid adding more textile waste to our planet.
In our interview, Rachel also dished on her tips to find the best pieces on
Go watch our Stoop Series!
The RealReal Upcycling Partnerships
What we’re saving on The RealReal Right Now
The weather was cooler when we filmed, and Rachel wore a Tory Burch sweater and mules from
. She also shared the most intimate thing you can, her current TRR obsessions. Pro Tip: Her secret corner of TRR is the unbranded jewelry section.Rachel’s TRR Obsessions Right Now
Prada Nappa Leather Bauletto Grommet Bag, Saint Laurent Oversized Talisman Pendant Necklace, 2013 Prada Green Flower Skirt, Tory Burch White Shoulder Bag, Sies Marjan Colorblock Pattern Midi Length Skirt, Vintage Loewe Mesh Tote, 19K Portuguese Fish Pendant, Prada Bucket Bag, Valentino Nightgown, Asch Grossbardt Necklace, Vintage Tiffany & Co. earrings,, Dries Van Noten Beaded Heels, Gucci Tassle Bag
I wore a vintage Pucci set, and by the magic of the vintage powers that hold us, at the time of writing, there were 4 items in the same print on TRR.
The exact same vintage Pucci skirt I’m wearing, a top, a dress, and a very 2000s v-neck version, all in the same print. Let’s be vintage Pucci print twins!
Because every closet collector has a story to tell, I found my vintage Pucci pieces on The RealReal, both as separates, a few years apart from each other. I found the skirt in 2022 and was wearing it without knowing it had a matching top in the secondhand-fashion-sphere. Vintage Pucci is one of my saved searches on TRR so when I saw there was boat neck top in the same print, I first asked the internet if I should get it, but then realized who was I kidding, I’m not sure what I love more, a Pucci print or a matching set. Here’s my favorite pre-loved Pucci finds on The RealReal right now.
You can now watch all of Circle of Friends: The Stoop Series on YouTube.
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Hilliary, I loved this so, so much! That you found your vintage Pucci set on TRR years apart is so relatable and gives me hope for my wishlist. Also your roundup of TRR vintage Pucci is incredible.
I really enjoyed learning more about Rachel and ofc TRR. Rachel's obsessions are amazing - if only the TB pierced bag was in my budget right now! What a find.