Hadiza Aboubacar Ibekwe has never been interested in selling you something new. As the founder of Business of Preloved Fashion (BOPF), she has spent years making the case that the most exciting pieces in luxury are the ones that already exist, just sitting unworn in wardrobes across the UAE, waiting for someone who will actually use them. With a background in ethical fashion, an authentication process rigorous enough to turn away even a convincing Birkin, and a commission structure that signals exactly where her loyalties lie, Hadiza is quietly building one of the region’s most serious preloved luxury platforms. We talked about counterfeits, the investment case for Hermès, the myth of the perfect moment to launch and the Chanel denim piece she will never quite get over.
TLS: What is your origin story?
Hadiza: I’ve been in the resale industry for about five years before launching BOPF. Before that, I did an internship in London with the Ethical Fashion Forum, an organisation focused on helping businesses adopt sustainable practices in fashion. So in many ways, I’ve always been in this space.
I launched BOPF as a platform to connect buyers and sellers of authentic preloved goods but with a specific mission. In the West, shopping preloved has become genuinely cool and widely accepted. I wanted to bring that same energy to this region, to make preloved luxury something people here embrace rather than shy away from. I wanted to change the narrative so that it’s not such a taboo.
TLS: What is it specifically about the UAE market that made it the perfect launchpad for a preloved luxury platform like BOPF?
Hadiza: The UAE is an extraordinary market for luxury and what makes it especially compelling for resale is the sheer volume of luxury goods sitting untouched in people’s closets. This isn’t just an impression; the data backs it up. Studies estimate that roughly half of all clothing owned globally sits unused in any given year, and luxury items specifically average only around six wears before being set aside. In a region with one of the highest concentrations of luxury ownership in the world, that represents an enormous amount of idle value.
The UAE has become a market leader in secondhand luxury in the Middle East and Africa region, driven by growing cultural acceptance of resale, a strong demand for premium labels, and a large expat and visitor population.
BOPF was built to unlock that dormant value and to encourage clients to monetise what’s sitting in their wardrobes, and to make those pieces accessible to buyers all over the world, including people who may have missed a particular collection the first time around. The UAE gave us an incredible sourcing base to start from, and from here, we’re bringing it to a global audience.
TLS: In a market where counterfeits are rampant, how do you balance technology with the human eye and where does one end and the other begin?
Hadiza: Counterfeits are a very real challenge not just in this region, but globally, which makes diligent authentication non-negotiable for us. At BOPF, we take a multi-pronged approach because no single method is foolproof on its own.
The human element comes first. Every piece is physically inspected, we’re looking at stitch detail, monogram consistency, stamps, hardware, RFID tags, and materials, all cross-referenced against what would be accurate for that specific item and year of production. We’ll even go as far as smelling the leather because an experienced eye, and nose, picks up things that a camera simply cannot.
We then use technology to assess the items; we use tools like Entrupy alongside other AI-powered authentication platforms to cross-check and validate our findings.
Ultimately, neither the human eye nor the technology works in isolation. It’s the combination of both that gives us and our clients the confidence to stand behind every single piece we list.
TLS: You offer consignors up to 85% commission, which is quite generous in the resale space. What is your philosophy behind that figure, and how does it shape the kind of sellers and pieces that come to BOPF?
Hadiza: We do offer up to 85% commission, but it’s important to understand that it’s a tiered structure rather than a flat rate. Commission ranges from 55% at the base up to 85% at the top, and where a piece lands within that range depends on several factors such as the value of the item, its condition, the collection it belongs to, and its rarity.
The 85% tier is reserved for the most exceptional pieces: ultra-high-value items, exotic skins, limited edition collections, and hard-to-find or discontinued styles. The kind of pieces that serious collectors and buyers are actively searching for.
The philosophy behind it is straightforward, if someone is trusting us with a truly rare or valuable item, they should be rewarded for that. A generous commission structure attracts serious consignors with serious pieces, and that in turn raises the overall calibre of what we’re able to offer buyers. It’s not just a commercial decision; it’s how we build trust with the sellers who matter most to the platform.
TLS: You’ve written about Hermès as a financial investment. Do you think the narrative around luxury goods is shifting from “status symbol” to “asset class”? How does that change the way your clients shop?
Hadiza: The shift is real, and we’re seeing it directly through our clients. Hermès in particular has become almost synonymous with this conversation pieces like the Birkin and Kelly have demonstrated consistent value retention, and in many cases appreciation, that rivals more traditional investment vehicles. That narrative has moved from niche knowledge to mainstream awareness.
What’s interesting is that our client base reflects both sides of this evolution. There will always be buyers who are drawn to luxury for the joy of ownership, the craftsmanship, the status and that’s completely valid. But increasingly, we’re seeing a growing segment who approach a purchase with a much more calculated mindset. They’re asking about resale value, rarity, and long-term demand before they commit. They’re buying with one eye on the market.
I don’t think one motivation replaces the other, the most sophisticated buyers often hold both simultaneously. But the direction of travel is clear. Luxury is no longer just something you wear; for a growing number of people, it’s something you hold.
TLS: Many resale platforms lead heavily with the sustainability angle. BOPF seems to lead with luxury first. Was that a deliberate positioning choice, and do you think “green guilt” is actually a driver of preloved purchases?
Hadiza: For us, it was never an either/or decision. BOPF sits at the intersection of two things we genuinely believe in: sustainability and accessibility to luxury. Both are core to who we are, and we don’t see the need to lead with one at the expense of the other.
On the sustainability question- yes, it absolutely is a driver for a meaningful segment of our clients. There are buyers who come to preloved specifically because it aligns with how they want to consume. That’s real, and we take it seriously.
But if we’re being honest about what motivates people across the board, it’s more varied than the sustainability narrative alone suggests. Some clients are drawn by the price point and the ability to own a piece that would be out of reach at retail. Others are chasing something they missed the first time around, a discontinued style or a sold-out collection. And then there are those who simply want something more singular, a piece that isn’t on every high street, that not everyone is carrying.
Green guilt may bring some people to the door, but what keeps them is the access, the value, and the thrill of finding something truly special. That’s the BOPF experience.
TLS: You’ve said BOPF won’t list an item if there’s even an ounce of doubt about its authenticity. Has there ever been a piece perhaps a highly coveted or extremely valuable one that you had to walk away from because something felt off?
Hadiza: There was one instance that stands out. We received a stunning Hermès Birkin in a gorgeous blue shade. At first glance, it was surprisingly convincing, the hardware, the stamps, the stitching, the details were all very, very good. The kind of piece that could easily fool an untrained eye.
But something felt off. It’s hard to fully articulate but there’s an instinct that develops over years of handling authentic pieces, and it was telling us to look closer. After double-checking with trusted resources and running it through our AI authentication tools, it didn’t pass.
And that’s the standard we hold ourselves to across the board. It doesn’t have to be a Birkin, if any item comes to us and there’s even the smallest shadow of doubt, we’d rather walk away than risk listing something we’re not completely certain about. Our clients trust us with that, and we take that responsibility seriously. No piece, however coveted or valuable, is worth compromising that.
TLS: You’ve spoken openly about your sons being part of your daily routine. As a founder who is also a mother, what does the juggle actually look like on a hard day and what would you tell women who are waiting for the “right time” to launch?
Hadiza: I love this question. I think people underestimate what it actually takes, not just to run a business, but to run a business while raising children. The mental load alone is constant. There’s a million things going on in your mind at once, and you’re trying to give your all to everything simultaneously.
On a hard day, it looks like this: you’re thinking about the business, about growth, about what needs to get done and at the same time you’re managing school runs, football practice, play dates, birthdays, and just being present with your children in the way they deserve. It’s a lot. And if I’m being honest, it can get overwhelming.
What I’ve learned is that balance isn’t a fixed thing, it’s something you figure out as you go. You find a rhythm that works for your life, your business, your family. You also have to protect time for yourself too. Because if you pour everything into your business and your children and leave nothing for yourself, you’ll eventually run on empty. I’m still learning to give myself more me time and I hope to improve in that department.
As for waiting for the right time to launch, just do it. There is no right time. If you wait for the perfect moment, you will be waiting forever. You learn as you go, you adapt, you grow. The most important thing is to start.
TLS: BOPF has grown from a UAE-focused platform to one that ships internationally and sells on eBay. Where do you see the brand in five years and is there a category, market, or partnership that you’re quietly working toward?
Hadiza: The direction is clear, we’re building toward being a significant sourcing hub in this region, with a growing global reach and a particular focus on the US market. That’s already the trajectory we’re on, and in five years I see that operating on a much larger scale. There’s also a possibility of a more permanent presence in other markets, the US being the most natural next step, but we’ll see how that unfolds.
On the category side, we’re actively working to solidify our fine jewellery and watch offerings. Handbags and RTW will always be at the heart of BOPF, but these categories represent a natural and exciting expansion for us and for our clients.
In terms of sourcing, one area I’m particularly excited about is deepening our access to Japanese auction houses. Japan is renowned for the exceptional condition of its preloved luxury, pieces are treated with extraordinary care, and the market is incredibly rich. Tapping further into that is very much on our radar.
TLS: Every person in luxury resale has a story about a piece they let go, sold too quickly, priced too low, or simply couldn’t keep for themselves. What’s yours?
Hadiza: Honestly, there have been more than a few moments where we’ve priced something too low and felt it immediately. But one that stands out is a very special Chanel Coco denim piece we had. We listed it, and it sold within minutes, which in the moment feels like a win until you realise that the speed of the sale is telling you something. That piece should have been priced far higher than what we listed it for.
With this same incident, we received a flood of messages from other clients who had missed out and they weren’t shy about expressing their frustration with us either. When your clients are that upset about not getting something, you know you undervalued it. I’ll remember that transaction forever and I think we could have made double or triple what we posted it for!
It’s one of those lessons you only really learn by living it. Pricing in luxury resale is as much art as it is science, you’re weighing rarity, demand, timing, and condition all at once. We’ve sharpened that instinct significantly since then, but I’d be lying if I said it never happens. Every now and then a piece moves faster than it should. It’s constantly evolving and we’re always learning. That’s what makes the industry so exciting.
