Depop appoints 'Trends Spokesperson' to champion circular fashion culture

Depop has appointed Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, formerly the global Contributing Editor-at-Large at Vogue, as Trends Spokesperson, a global role in which she will speak on emerging trends and the defining cultural role of circular fashion.

As part of the role, Karefa-Johnson will identify, predict and speak to emerging trends and cultural moments before they hit the masses by analysing Depop's qualitative and quantitative data, keeping a close eye on the 43.5 million registered users, their search behaviours and social chatter.

Karefa-Johnson replaces Agus Panzoni, who previously held the role and launched Depop's first fashion trend report in 2024. 

Her appointment coincides with the announcement that Etsy is selling Depop to eBay for $1.2 billion (£890 million) as it aims to cater to a “younger demographic” and target long-term growth. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of this year.

Depop, founded in London in 2011, has expanded on the back of growing demand from Gen Z and Millennial shoppers to buy sustainably and prevent old items from going into landfill. Officially, the marketplace's mission is to make fashion circular by encouraging more people to choose secondhand, thereby redefining fashion consumption.

“Depop operates like a living fashion archive and has always been a space where personal style, culture, and community intersect,” said Gabriella Karefa-Johnson.

“It shows how fashion moves when it is freed from seasons, runways, and newness for its own sake, and I’m excited to step into this role as Trends Spokesperson to help frame where personal style drives the trend cycle forward.”

Steve Dool, Senior Director of Brand and Creative added: “We are thrilled to welcome Gabriella Karefa‑Johnson as Depop’s 2026 Trends Spokesperson.

"Her visionary voice and deep understanding of culture, fashion and community perfectly reflect the core of Depop. Gabriella’s perspective will help inspire our community to explore fresh trends in a way that feels authentic, empowering and fun.”

At Vogue, Karefa-Johnson styled covers featuring Vice President Kamala Harris, poet Amanda Gorman and Margot Robbie. In her broader fashion career, she has styled campaigns for Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Victoria’s Secret, Rhode, Coach, and more.