It’s no secret: Most everyone in fashion shops on The RealReal. This was more than clear at dinner last night, as industry folks and a stylish group of NYC creatives gathered at Holiday Bar to celebrate The RealReal’s launch of the Consign Commitment, as well as its star-studded closet sale. The dinner coincided with National Consignment Month, spotlighting the company’s dedication to sustainable luxury fashion.
The event saw a parade of tastemakers who have long supported and shopped at The RealReal; guests like Helena Christensen (in an outfit straight from The RealReal’s celebrity sale), Rebecca Hall, Angelica Hicks, Jenna Lyons, and Sarah Clary (the latter two graced the event in stylish coordinating crimson ensembles). More attendees included Eny Lee Parker, Lynn Yaeger, Marina Testino, and Pat Cleveland.
The evening took a thoughtful turn as guests settled in for dinner, and Rati Sahi Levesque, president and COO of The RealReal, and Sebastian Troëng, Ph.D., VP of Conservation Partnerships at Conservation International, delivered poignant remarks. Troëng shed light on the urgent need for a shift in fashion consumption, alluding to his background as a marine biologist. “When you work in conservation like that, you realize that you can have a really important impact in a particular place, which is great and satisfying,” he noted. He went on to stress the vital role of the fashion industry in environmental preservation, citing startling statistics: “The fashion sector actually has a bigger climate footprint than all shipping and air travel put together, and is the second-biggest consumer of freshwater in the world.”
His partnership with The RealReal, which champions the consignment model, was presented as a major step toward creating a more sustainable fashion sector.
Levesque continued: “We really wanted to start changing people’s behavior and changing consumer behavior for the better.” Over its 13 years of existence, The RealReal has successfully steered consumers toward more responsible fashion choices, saving countless items from ending up in landfills. Levesque also urged everyone to “pledge to consign one in five items,” underlining the significant impact such an action can have.
Guests then made plans to schedule their next consignment. “I did a drop-off today!” said actor AnnaSophia Robb—offering proof (not that anyone really needed it) that The RealReal is fast becoming a part of every fashion-conscious person’s life.
