Parisian department store BHV sells second-hand fashion in-store and online

Parisian department store BHV is expanding its presence in the second-hand fashion market. BHV first experimented with some retail corners, and has now extended its partnership with specialist start-up Paradigme, opening two pop-up sections selling second-hand women’s clothes in the department store’s branches in rue de Rivoli, Paris, and at the Parly 2 shopping mall, near Versailles. BHV has also recently launched a click-and-collect fashion resale option on its e-shop.

The Parly 2 second-hand fashion section opened on June 12, and will stay open until August 11. On rue de Rivoli, it opened on June 26, until July 21. On sale, second-hand fashion items collected by Paradigme, mostly by premium brands. Customers of the two BHV branches are also able to leave in-store clothes they no longer use, to resell them. Paradigme is working with a selection of about one hundred fashion brands, including Sézane, Ganni, Maison 123, Levi’s and Make my Lemonade. Vendor customers are paid with BHV vouchers.

The BHV e-shop has recently introduced a system to collect second-hand clothes. In a way similar to the in-store system, customers are invited to send their pre-owned clothes free of charge to BHV, which will reward customers with a gift card after checking the goods received.

“With immediate purchases and a new omni-channel system, operational both in-store and online, Paradigme and BHV want to make life simple for millions of private individuals who are keen to streamline their wardrobe, but don’t want to spend time re-selling their clothes,” said Vincent Huché-Deniset, co-founder of Paradigme.

The company was founded in 2022 and is working with fashion brands like La Fée Maraboutée and Petite Mendigote. In April, it raised €1.2 million in a funding round involving several investors, including ShowroomPrivé, Hartwood and Vanessa Proust.

BHV was officially sold in November 2023 by the Galeries Lafayette group to the SGM group, a French property developer specialised in re-vitalising commercial premises in town centres. SGM is also a Galeries Lafayette franchisee, operating seven branches outside Paris. SGM is keen to breathe fresh zest into BHV, relying chiefly on the home decoration, DIY and leisure goods categories.