Poshmark, the flourishing digital fashion marketplace, recently hosted its highly anticipated PoshFest event in San Diego, marking the 11th year of this annual celebration.
PoshFest 2023 was a vibrant and immersive two-day experience that brought together fashion enthusiasts and resellers across the country. This year’s event was nothing short of a dynamic fusion of fashion, business and community.
The PoshFest experience was a visual feast for fashion lovers. Attendees, also known as “poshers,” arrived in a chic array of styles, from tropical resort wear to flowy florals, upcycled clothes with cowboy boots as accents, glitter and so many sequins.
PoshFest was a representation of the diverse community that Poshmark has built, with people of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels
coming together to celebrate their shared dreams of starting their own online business.
Although most attendees were already familiar with the Poshmark world, around 70% of the poshers were first time Poshfest-goers.
The two-day festive event was open to anyone who wanted to learn more about Poshmark; there were sellers from 2012 bringing their moms who kick starting their brand. “There’s really a place
for everyone and I think that’s the best part,” Angeline Licari, a Poshmark ambassador, said. “No matter where you are in the posh journey — if you want to scale, if you’re happy where you are or if it’s just a hobby — there’s a place for everyone. That’s definitely the best part.”
Licari made a name for herself within the online fashion world as an ambassador. Licari started selling on Poshmark as a high schooler in 2015 after searching up “how to make side money.” However, it wasn’t until after she graduated college last year that her Poshmark journey took off.
“It was three months post-grad of me looking for jobs with the experience I had, but not the degree, and I just need a break,” Licari said. “I went back to the tried and true: Poshmark. I thought, ‘I’m going to list my college clothes on Posh, I need big girl work clothes anyway. It may not be a full-time salary, but at least I’m able to pay the bills and I’ll recheck in three months.’”
Three months after Licari decided to give Poshmark a chance, she had her first “live show” and it turned into something she wasn’t expecting.
With 56 thousand followers on Poshmark, Licari turned her passion into her job. Licari — known as @shoplinabtq on Poshmark — has been transforming her business through live shows. This feature serves as an interactive element on Poshmark that showcases posher’s listings, live auctions and connects with shoppers in real-time.
According to a Poshfest panel called “From 0 to $100K: How 6 Figure Sellers Used Posh Shows to Scale Their Business,” live shows have allowed sellers to not only make reselling their full time career but also support their families and achieve their aspirations. Live shows bring personal brands to life through video and sound, and the success from those is surreal.
Aurora Lopez-Szpak, another seller who goes by @mamachickys on Poshmark, has sold over 15,000 items and is living the life she always dreamed of.
“It is okay to fail but it is not okay to quit,” Lopez-Szpak said as advice to any poshers looking to building their career on Poshmark. “Don’t say ‘you can’t’ and don’t say ‘you’re not enough.’”
A highlight of PoshFest was the lineup of industry experts, who generously share their knowledge and expertise. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in engaging workshops, enlightening panels and inspiring talks.
There were even breakout rooms transformed into live show studios with ring lights, purses and shoes for decor and colorful clothing racks — all dedicated to poshers who wanted to sell and collaborate during the event.
These sessions were designed to help poshers gain valuable insights into the fashion reselling industry, providing them with practical strategies, tips and tricks to grow their businesses to achieve success.
Poshfest was all about leveling up and shining even brighter, allowing Poshmark to unveil its latest initiatives.
In the panel “Hackathon Feature Review,” attendees had the opportunity to learn about these latest innovations, including multi-label
shipping, closet redesign, gift cards, auto-listing powered by AI and data-driven insights to help sellers take their businesses to the next level. This informational panel empowers Poshers to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of online reselling.
“It feels like Poshmark always has something new and exciting to give back to us users,” Rebecca Falk, a third-year business major, said. “It’s skyrocketing, and it’s exciting to be a part of it.”
Poshmark’s commitment to sustainability was also a notable feature of PoshFest. Attendees were encouraged to “give clothes a second life,” source goods and give back to the community.
Posh Playground was an outdoor space, exuding the ambience of a tropical villa that showcased various sustainable brands in collaboration with Poshmark.
Beni and Shop Goodwill were two prominent partnerships that shared its missions to reducing fashion waste. Shop Goodwill also had breakout rooms where attendees could learn more about the non-profit’s #CreateOpportunity campaign and participate with hands-on, upcycling crafts.
Poshfest was a conference that turned into a celebration of individuality and creativity. It provided a platform for poshers to connect, share their stories and find inspiration to thrive in the world of fashion reselling.
PoshFest was a testament to Poshmark’s commitment to building a strong community of like-minded (and very stylish) individuals.
As Vanessa Wong, vice president of product management at Poshmark, said, “Everything we do is centered on love and community.”
