“When you open up the screen, you will see all these things bubbling. And if you’re a size 42 shoe, you’re gonna go to that show, and if you want a Chanel bag, you’re gonna go to that show. We want to bring joy to every part of your life,” he says.
Expanding an empire
Garkinos co-founded famed LA vintage emporium Decades in 1997 and spent years cleaning out the closets of the rich and famous, becoming famous enough himself to land a short-lived Bravo reality TV show and a stint as a HSN seller. Along the way, he’s gathered many Hollywood stories and celebrity friends, including Garcelle Beauvais, Kathy Hilton, Marysol Patton, and other Real Housewives cast members who have been loyal supporters of Covet by Christos and appeared on his shows.
In 2020, during Covid, he started reselling designer bags on Instagram Live, quickly garnering interest from other dealers. He brought some of their stock onto his shows, charging a 20-30% commission on the sales. Garkinos now works with 20 regular vendors around the world who gross as much as $5 million annually, and said there is a 250-person waiting list to get on the platform, which still operates on Instagram.
“They know there’s the backing of the CBC network when they buy something, and that we authenticate things from a vintage standpoint. And with Discover, they like that we’re bringing on brands that they really haven’t heard about,” he said of his customers, whose average cart size is $1,100.
For Discover (which has featured Anemos swimwear, The Kno casual travel wear, Partlow cowboy boots, and Classic Six elevated basics), Garkinos looks for under-the-radar brands, a compelling founder story that can be shared on the show, and product that’s filling a need in the closets of his customers — the perfect T-shirt to wear under vintage jackets, for example, or easy clothes to wear on vacation. He also pays attention to what’s in demand on CBC resale shows, which are often larger sizes, and works with brands that can bring the right assortment.
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