On Wednesday, eBay released its newest trend Watchlist for the 2026 spring and summer season.
The report was curated by eBay’s resident stylist, Brie Welch, and taps into trends and bestsellers from the platform’s more than 136 million buyers and approximately 2.5 billion listings. The secondhand online reseller also tapped celebrity stylist Harry Lambert to give insights into the season from his work across the worlds of music and red carpet styling.
“Whether I’m pulling for a red carpet, styling for an album, or just down a rabbit hole late at night, I’m usually scrolling on eBay,” said Lambert. “Pre-loved pieces just make things more interesting. They take away the pressure for everything to feel perfect or overly styled. Spring and summer always stand out to me. Style feels more spontaneous, more open to mixing, reworking, and reimagining what’s already out there. They also reflect what makes pre-loved fashion so powerful: the ability to remix, rediscover, and create something entirely your own from what already exists.”
Most notably, eBay sees that legacy luxury brands continue to dominate the resale market. Brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry, Chanel and Prada maintain their status as the most global purchases made from January until March 2026. As compared to global purchases made from October to December 2025, Hermès is no longer at the top of the list. Instead, Dior ranks at the top with the appointment and hype surrounding Jonathan Anderson’s new role at the luxury maison — eBay specifically cites his fresh creative energy, invigorating and growing momentum for the brand.
Courtesy of Ebay
For brands that have seen the most growth in listings globally from January until March 2026, Brioni leads the charge with 59 times more listings, followed by Rhude (43 times), Steve Madden (23 times), Birkenstock (11 times), Damson Madder (10 times), Polene (6 times), Blancpain (5 times), Tommy Hilfiger (3 times), Marine Serre (3 times) and Borsalino (3 times). The report’s authors noted that there’s been a massive wave in listings from more accessible and widely loved brands such as Steve Madden and Birkenstock.
The value of resale is also rising like never before — brands are seeing a growing average sales price in the resale market, based on the percentage growth globally on eBay from January to March 2026. Rodarte has seen a skyrocketing 721 percent increase, Raf Simons increased by 348 percent, Aupen increased by 317 percent, Blumarine increased by 298 percent, Andre Laug increased by 200 percent, Timex increased by 170 percent, Jude Shoes increased by 145 percent, Maria Lucia Hohan increased by 144 percent, Zenith increased by 141 percent and Eckhaus Latta increased by 126 percent.
In resale, accessories, handbags and watches continue to dominate the conversation. EBay said that within handbags, the season’s top bags boast strong design codes with recognizable styles, leading in resale value — in total, global listings in the women’s bag category saw a 20 percent increase. Based on the global average price growth on the platform, top bags on eBay are the Gucci Padlock bag (grew 530 percent), Gucci Giglio bag (grew 428 percent), Saint Laurent Y tote (grew 253 percent), Bottega Veneta Arco tote (grew by 177 percent), Chanel 25 small bag (grew 77 percent) and Gucci B bag (grew 73 percent).
Watches have become synonymous with both style statements and long-term investments. In the secondhand market, Cartier‘s continued dominance on eBay, alongside Patek Philippe, signals the ongoing demand for timeless pieces with cultural relevance. The watches that saw global average sales growth value include: Patek Philippe Nautilus, which increased by 154 percent, Cartier Demoiselle increased by 80 percent, Cartier Tank Américaine increased by 43 percent, Cartier Tank Française increased by 39 percent, Cartier Baignoire increased by 21 percent and Cartier Ballon Bleu.
The Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy effect is also in full force with the 2026 biopic “Love Story,” starring Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly. In just March, eBay saw its global users search for Calvin Klein more than 3,800 times per hour. To get the CBK look, users are searching for the Prada Spazzolato (518 percent growth), Selima sunglasses (747 percent growth), Levi’s 517 jeans (78 percent growth) and L.L. Bean boat and tote (40 percent growth).
Courtesy of Ebay
During the Super Bowl Halftime show, Bad Bunny’s debut with Adidas on his BadBo 1.0 sneakers saw more than 50 percent global searches on the day of the show. And Lady Gaga’s surprise appearance during the performance saw her custom Luar dress drive more than 160 percent search spikes.
Looking ahead, Brie Welch has identified the five top trends for the upcoming season: color interruption, slightly unsettled, weightless drama, drenched in disruption and quiet confidence.
Color interruption sees clashing tones and retro palettes creating a distinct visual energy that’s spontaneous and disrupting the neutrals. Bold patterned accessories, athletic references and kinetic colorblocking with aqua and teal hues abound.
Slightly unsettled embraces the unfinished with clothing that’s imperfect. Designer pieces are styled purposefully to look undone or not fully completed. Quarter zips, skirt overlay pants, and asymmetric blazers are paired with unexpected sneaker styles to give an unconventional look.
Weightless drama brings sheer layers and kinetic textures to the forefront with drama by utilizing delicate trims and soft frill details. Silhouettes evoke movement with feathers, scarf halter tops, silk organza, capes and lace. Novelty prints, metallic finishes are layered, expressive and bold.
Courtesy of Ebay
Quiet confidence emphasizes exaggerated blazers and rounded outerwear that help pieces maintain their lived-in feel and focus on intentionality. Handbags with ease, structure and slight slouch create a modern take on nostalgia.
“Resale is no longer orbiting the fashion cycle, but embedded within it, moving at the same speed, and at times, even setting the pace. As trends continue to remix the past, eBay’s pre-loved selection remains a primary source for fashion lovers around the world,” said Welch.
The 2026 eBay Watchlist is available to shop now on ebay.com/thewatchlist.
