“It is getting harder and harder for the average woman to buy luxury goods as a long-term investment. [Through the Fifth Collection] one kind of woman can help the other to get what they want at a price that is more fair, because it is directed by the market and not by marketing teams.” Nejla Matam-Finn, The Fifth Collection

It is said that 70% of a woman’s wardrobe never gets worn, resulting in beautiful clothing and accessories languishing for years at the backs of closets, often with the tags still on. And it was the knowledge of this fact that led to the creation of The Fifth Collection, an award-winning luxury goods trading platform that offers a covetable mix of branded and unbranded vintage and preloved fashion. The company was launched in 2014 by Singapore-based entrepreneur, Nejla Matam-Finn, who was looking to responsibly dispose of the clothing she no longer needed. She saw an opportunity to connect others who also wanted to trim their closets—but also see their pieces go to a good home—with those looking for high-quality luxury pieces at affordable prices. 

Born into a family of entrepreneurs, Matam-Finn’s multicultural upbringing spanned Algeria and Europe. She grew up around African art, has travelled the African continent, and is a collector of African art herself. And it is the nature of the art collector and how it corresponds to a woman’s ever-evolving style that has become an ethos deeply ingrained in The Fifth Collection. Viewing the customer as a collector, the Fifth Collection enables their mostly female clientele to help each other out, and in the process to forge an invisible bond of sisterhood, the characteristics of which are embodied in the company name.

by Tapiwa Matsinde

The full article is available in the 5th issue of MOYI.