Edited by Casey Brennan
In the glittering world of high fashion, where trends dictate the industry’s rhythm, FASHIONPHILE founder and president Sarah Davis stands as a true leader in innovation.
Davis established FASHIONPHILE, the first ultra-luxury re-commerce company of its kind, on eBay in 1999. Her realization that luxury handbags and accessories sold faster and retained their value better in the secondary market ignited the inception of a revolutionary platform. Almost 25 years later, the reseller has become the largest platform for buying and selling ultra-luxury handbags and accessories in the country. This success is attributed to proprietary authentication technologies, pioneering retail strategies, such as the 60,000-square-foot interactive authentication center and flagship in NYC, and strategic partnerships, including an exclusive collaboration with Neiman Marcus.
Davis’s journey into entrepreneurship was not scripted; it evolved out of necessity and a relentless pursuit of financial independence. “I was one of those lucky people who found their way into entrepreneurship because I needed money that I didn’t have,” says Davis. “I was the oldest of 6 kids; I bought my own clothes and paid my own way. This meant that I was always trying to find a way to make a dollar.”
While her early ambitions envisioned a career in law — Davis graduated from law school and passed the bar exam — serendipity intervened as she discovered the world of online resale.
“I started selling on eBay and my userID was Fashionphile,” Davis admits.
In the world of entrepreneurship, some meticulously chart their course, while others let the road unfold before them. Davis belongs to the latter category. “I just got started,” Davis says. “Over the years, I’ve met so many people who have ideas that they’ve thought about for a long time. But they just don’t get started. And if it’s a good idea, by the time they get around to it, someone else often already has beaten them to it. Just get started. With technology and tools that are available today, there is not time to wait. Just start now.”
For Davis, sustained success lies in perpetually looking forward, anticipating the curves and bends that the future holds. She admits that there are interesting projects that FASHIONPHILE could work on but they “could actually be huge distractions and hurt the chances of our overall success. A laser focus on the vision ahead keeps us doing the right things today.”
Contrary to the notion of work as a daily grind, Davis finds solace and joy in her relentless dedication to FASHIONPHILE. “Honestly, this may be annoying for some people to hear but I actually don’t want to escape my work and even after all these years of relentless attention to it, it doesn’t feel like a grind to me,” says Davis. “I love and enjoy my family so I try to stay present and in the moment with my husband and kids when I’m not at work. But that said, I’m obsessed with what I do. They say if you find something that you like to do, that feels like work to other people, you’ve found your calling. Well, I believe that that is what FASHIONPHILE is to me. I’ve been doing what I’m doing for over 20 years now and it’s never not been fun for me.”
With a keen eye on the future, Davis sees FASHIONPHILE expanding its unparalleled service globally. The focus is clear – to provide an elevated experience for sellers and buyers of ultra-luxury accessories on a scale that transcends geographical boundaries. The journey is ambitious, but Davis is resolute: this is the future of the company. “Our five-year map has us leaning into the customer experience more deeply than we ever have before,” she says. “This isn’t just a technical journey mapping exercise, although that is part of it. But we are learning more about our customers and are developing real and meaningful relationships with them so we can serve them better seamlessly – wherever they may be.”
In the world of ultra-luxury resale, Davis Davis emerges not just as a leader but as a visionary sculpting the industry’s future. FASHIONPHILE, under her stewardship, is not merely a marketplace; it’s a testament to the confluence of passion, foresight, and an unwavering commitment to rewriting the rules of the fashion game. “I’m very excited to see FASHIONPHILE providing our elevated service to sellers and buyers of ultra-luxury accessories at a global scale,” Davis says. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, but this is the future of the company.”
