It's no secret that celebrities are increasingly starting their own fashion brands. AKB48 member Shinoda Mariko's "Ricori" is set to debut next spring, and impersonator Korokke's Mimic held a launch party last week. While some see it as a side business for celebrities, its popularity is undeniable. While sales figures aren't disclosed, there's an easy way to get a glimpse: by checking the price movements on the secondhand goods market. In today's internet-driven world, it's easy to search for the auction market price of the product you're looking for on sites like Aucfan and Amashow. For example, Chinatsu Wakatsuki, who recently held a fashion show at Tokyo Collection, is seeing high prices for her collection novelties on online auctions. The brand's iconic bear-tan strap sells for around 7,000 yen, while the complete set, which includes a nano steamer and mask, sells for around 10,000 yen. 24karats, a magazine run by EXILE's agency LDH, has released a brand mook titled "Monthly EXILE Special Edition 24Karats BRAND BOOK November 2012 Issue," which was published in October and has been steadily selling at high prices. It sold out at regular bookstores and was never restocked on the day of release, sending the price soaring to around 7,000 yen on Amazon. The situation quickly calmed down, however, as the brand's directly managed stores in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka were amply restocked. However, it is still stable at just over 3,000 yen, about 2.5 times the retail price of 1,260 yen. Currently, almost no fashion brands are sold at auctions for more than their retail price. Even celebrity brands cannot be underestimated in terms of brand equity. It might be interesting to look at fashion from this perspective.