American Eagle hatches resale, AR shopping programs

American Eagle is joining the resale trend and offering a curated apparel collection for shopping via augmented reality (AR) app.

The specialty apparel retailer, a banner of American Eagle Outfitters Inc., is partnering with online resale platform ThredUp to launch RE/AE, an online resale shop of its secondhand and vintage clothing. RE/AE is available on a dedicated page of the ThredUp site and runs on the ThredUp Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) solution, which delivers scalable, customizable resale offerings for retailers.

[Read more: Exclusive Q&A: ThredUp looks at the state of resale]

In addition, American Eagle is teaming up with Snapchat to offer a shoppable AR Lens (virtual animations overlaid on a Snapchat photo), showcasing select styles from a specially curated inaugural 200-piece RE/AE collection. The RE/AE Snapchat pop-up allows users to view the collection through an exclusive AR shopping Lens.

Arranged as a vintage store, AE pieces will be virtually displayed throughout the space. They can click on select products for details on the item and obtain secondhand sustainability information. Each product will link customers directly to the RE/AE page on the ThredUp site for a seamless check out experience.

The RE/AE assortment includes AE styles from the 1980s and unique styles for the collection, including jeans, dresses, miniskirts, jackets, and accessories. All items are priced between $10 and $40 and the assortment includes all-gender clothing. The new resale initiative is part of a broader corporate effort to be carbon-neutral by 2030.

“We are passionate about finding new and exciting ways to connect with our customers and RE/AE’s accessible, digital-first, circular shopping experience provides an opportunity to refresh your closet by shopping pre-loved, iconic styles from a brand that has defined youth culture for decades,” said Jennifer Foyle, president - COO, AE and Aerie. “Standing behind our commitment to help create a more sustainable future, the partnership with ThredUp innovatively gives new life to clothing and accessories that might otherwise contribute to the throwaway fashion culture we are working to eliminate.”

“American Eagle is a mainstay brand among younger generations, and its core customer base is actively engaged in apparel resale,” said James Reinhart, CEO of ThredUp. “We’re proud to support American Eagle through RaaS as the company innovates to serve its customers and meet sustainability goals.”

American Eagle Outfitters Inc. is a global specialty retailer operating under its American Eagle and Aerie brands. The company operates stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong and Japan, and ships to approximately 80 countries worldwide through its websites. American Eagle and Aerie merchandise also is available at more than 260 international locations operated by licensees in approximately 30 countries.