Why Depop is putting music at the center of its marketing, collaborating with Zara Larsson and Olivia Rodrigo
Depop is scaling a music-artist wardrobe drop model, leveraging data that 56% of its users attend live music events, with partnerships including Olivia Rodrigo and Zara Larsson. Strategy targets secondhand concert fashion as a differentiation play against competitors like Poshmark and ThredUp.
Resale platforms are no longer passive secondhand marketplaces — they are building cultural identity moats that compress new-apparel demand, accelerating margin pressure on mid-tier apparel sellers across major marketplaces.
Resale platform differentiation via cultural identity (music) is pulling Gen Z spend away from new apparel — a signal for Amazon/Walmart apparel sellers to watch secondhand attach rates in their categories. Monitor your apparel category's return-to-resale pipeline; if return rates are climbing, resale platforms may be capturing your repeat buyers.
Operational Impact
This story may require teams to revisit workflows, monitoring, or platform assumptions.
Bottom Line
Depop's music strategy captures Gen Z apparel spend before it reaches Amazon or Walmart.
Source Lens
Industry Context
Useful background context, but lower-priority than direct platform, community, or operator intelligence.
Impact Level
medium
Depop's music strategy captures Gen Z apparel spend before it reaches Amazon or Walmart.
Key Stat / Trigger
56% of Depop users attend live music events
Focus on the operational implication, not just the headline.
Full Coverage
Global Retail // October 17, 2026 Why Depop is putting music at the center of its marketing, collaborating with Zara Larsson and Olivia Rodrigo By Gabriela Barkho Subscribe: Apple Podcasts • Spotify Peer-to-peer resale platform Depop is trying to differentiate itself from the competition through the power of music.
Driven by data showing that 56% of the Depop community attends live music events, the company recognized there is an opportunity to cater to users scrolling its app for secondhand concert looks. To capitalize on this insight, the company scaled its popular shop drop model, in which prominent musicians list items directly from their personal wardrobes.
To date, it has collaborated on drops with the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Zara Larsson and Olivia Rodrigo. Beyond digital storefronts, the London-based company is also increasingly showing up at global music events, such as sponsoring Rodrigo’s 2026 Daisy Chain Fields Festival with an interactive pop-up featuring secondhand apparel and accessories.
And this year, the company named Larsson the face of its global 360 campaign. This week, Steve Dool, senior director of brand and creative at Depop, joined the Modern Retail Podcast to break down the company’s music-focused marketing strategy. He discussed: How Depop has positioned itself at the intersection of fashion and music.
Working with major musicians who happen to already be Depop users. Tapping into pop culture and live music in organic ways. Copy link
Check Amazon Brand Analytics > Repeat Purchase Behavior for apparel ASINs — if repeat purchase rate drops YoY, Depop-style resale platforms may be intercepting your returning customers.
Audit your product listing imagery and copy for 'concert' or 'festival' occasion keywords in the next 30 days — Depop is actively owning that search intent and pulling organic discovery from marketplace channels.
Original Source
This briefing is based on reporting from Modern Retail. Use the original post for full primary-source context.
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