“This is real, this actually works”: How Danielle Goodwin turned Australia’s vintage luxury market upside down

Danielle Goodwin has revolutionised Australia’s pre-loved luxury market by transforming second-hand fashion into a highly engaging online business. Through livestream selling, Hawkeye Vintage is making high-end goods more accessible and exciting to discover.

For Melbourne entrepreneur Danielle Goodwin, the thrill of pre-owned luxury has never been about having the new thing. It is about discovering luxury for less, choosing sustainability and finding classic treasures that last a lifetime.

“In the past, people have assumed buying vintage or pre-loved luxury meant settling for less than buying new,” says Goodwin. “But it’s the opposite. You’re getting better value, a piece with actual history and soul.”

Buying behaviour has changed with the rise of virtual shopping. Consumers are tuning in and interacting with the livestream sales host. They are also engaging with a similarly minded shopping community and, as with Hawkeye Vintage, buying luxury goods for a fraction of the price of brand-new items at flagship stores. Hawkeye features bags, clothing, collectables, and jewellery as investments. Goodwin has also labelled it “dopamine dressing” and “investment dressing”.

“Luxury that women dream of is suddenly attainable on Hawkeye’s revolutionary livestream commerce platform,” says Goodwin. “That’s not a compromise, and it’s the latest trend in real-time shopping and luxury fashion.”

Goodwin’s own love of finding lost classics ultimately inspired the launch of Hawkeye Vintage.

What began in 2012 as a Melbourne pop-up showcasing Goodwin’s favourite high-end treasures revealed its potential almost immediately. By the end of its first afternoon, the entire curated collection had sold out. With the market established, she spent the next few years building her inventory before pioneering an entirely new retail model.

Hawkeye Vintage was an early adopter of livestream commerce, bringing the thrill of the vintage treasure hunt directly to customers in real time as they shopped and interacted from anywhere in the world, in comfort.

Of the channels she began distributing on, Instagram became the jewel in Hawkeye Vintage’s crown when she introduced daily livestream shopping events, an initiative that has since skyrocketed in popularity.

She now proudly operates Australia’s “first and leading luxury livestream retail selling platforms”. Hawkeye Vintage runs real-time live shopping events for up to 18 hours a day across multiple Instagram channels.

Livestream commerce is one of the fastest-growing forms of online retail, according to Goodwin. She says China is considerably ahead of most Western markets, where companies like Taobao Live have turned livestream commerce into a major retail ecosystem. Professional livestreams sell everything from cosmetics and clothes to cars and luxury products.

“When we opened our company in Japan, it was a huge pinch-me moment,” says Goodwin. “It represented something bigger than the milestone itself: proof that what started as a single pop-up in Melbourne, built from love and passion for vintage and pre-owned luxury goods, could become a global operation, run across several countries, with people who believed in the same vision I did.”

The Hawkeye brand’s expansion didn’t stop there. Now operating multiple livestream sales hosts daily across Japan, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and Dubai, Goodwin has taken Hawkeye Vintage thousands of miles beyond its origins as a single pop-up store. The inventory has also expanded beyond designer bags to feature fine jewellery, men’s luxury watches, and other luxury products such as fashion and cosmetics.

Q&A with Danielle Goodwin

Why livestream selling?

During COVID, my livestream selling platform really took off. People love the instant shopping experience and the security of shopping from home. You can see items showcased like a live runway show, choose items, get more information, and even talk to other shoppers. It’s become both a shop and a show. It offers access to luxury goods not available in Australia and great prices, so people are flocking to the Hawkeye livestream shopping community.

Who were the mentors, role models, or figures that influenced you in the early stages of your career?

My hardworking parents were entrepreneurs. My father had a flair for sales and marketing, and my late mother had an eye for finding something special while trading antiques. She found pieces with history, knew their value and knew how to put them in front of the right people at the right time.

The “Hawkeye” helps me source amazing, hard-to-find luxury goods. Livestream selling takes a lot of energy, especially when you’re showcasing items and interacting with the livestream selling community.

What’s the future for Hawkeye Vintage?

Hawkeye Vintage is quickly evolving into a multi-million-dollar global luxury resale enterprise. Turnover has grown 25 per cent over the past 12 months, driven by the accelerating popularity of livestream shopping and consumer demand for pre-owned luxury.

The company has an expanding global sourcing network and is launching new products. The next phase of growth will target international markets.

What advice would you give your younger self starting out?

I wouldn’t have changed a thing. During my time in business, I have faced plenty of challenges. Learning every day, adjusting to setbacks, and being prepared to work longer and harder have brought me rewards. I made many sacrifices growing my business, surviving on little sleep and often working around the clock with my children. More recently, I have become more conscious of my health and am spending more time with my family and wellbeing whilst still growing my business and focusing on my goals.

How do customers find your live streaming platform? What would they be able to buy?

On Instagram via @hawkeyevintage or directly on www.hawkeyevintage.com. We sell luxury brands such as Rolex, Cartier watches, Hermes, Birkin and Kelly handbags, Gucci, Chanel, and Fendi.

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