One chilly evening in New York, writer Liana Satenstein transformed her modest living room into an impromptu runway. No flashy lights, no booming speakers—just a handful of friends-turned-models parading through the narrow space, wearing pieces from her “Neverworns” collection. Liana enthusiastically narrated each item’s story as laughter and applause filled the room from her casual audience.
But here’s the twist: you didn’t have to be physically present to be part of this exclusive event. Thanks to the live streaming platform Whatnot, anyone with a phone or laptop could tune in and experience the show from their couch. For Liana, live streaming wasn’t just a tech gimmick—it was a way to bring her closet cleanouts to life for an audience far beyond her apartment walls.
Originally, Liana’s goal was simple: clear out years’ worth of fashion finds accumulated from her work as an editor, writer, and stylist. She hosted a few in-person sales at home but quickly realized the demand went way beyond her guest list. Every time she posted teasers online, messages poured in: “When will you do this in LA?” or “I want that dress too!” Her initial reaction was, “You have to be here or tough luck.” But then live streaming changed everything, offering a bridge between the physical and digital worlds.
Shopping has always been more than just ticking items off a list. It’s a social ritual, a chance to express oneself, a kind of play. In the heyday of department stores, people dressed up and made an outing of it; during the fast-fashion boom, it was about bonding with friends over the latest trends. Today, with the convenience of one-click buying, shopping risks feeling cold and solitary. Live streaming, in its own unique way, is bringing back the warmth and excitement.
Take Whatnot, for instance—a platform that’s quietly revolutionizing online shopping since its launch in 2019. Fresh off a $265 million funding round, Whatnot users spend over 80 minutes a day on the site—more than they do on Instagram or TikTok. While many users are happily snapping up 12 items a week, a surprising number treat it like a show: watching, chatting, and enjoying the buzz without spending a dime.
Rebecca Rom-Frank, a marketing strategist at trend forecaster WGSN, puts it well: “Gen Z and the younger Gen Alpha see social media as an entertainment channel as much as traditional TV.” Liana herself drew inspiration from old QVC clips on YouTube and a 1989 interview with Donna Karan on a talk show called Attitudes. Watching Karan’s models strut in real-time gave her a glimpse of what modern live shopping could be—context, layers, history, and a whole lot of personality.
When you step into these live shopping sessions, it doesn’t feel like browsing a store. It’s more like crashing a friend’s dressing room. Sellers banter, share backstories, try on pieces on camera—sometimes even battling curious cats or playful kids popping into the frame. Nina Chong-Jimenez, aka “Lockitin,” has made nearly 68,000 sales on Whatnot, and she jokes, “People ask me how many unitards I own now. I’m constantly trying things on live, stripping down and putting on whatever I can. You need to see how a piece really fits on a person.”
This transparency is a game changer. Unlike stiff product photos on big e-commerce sites, live shopping connects you to a real person, sharing real-time insights while you chat with fellow fashion lovers. Take FashioNica, a seller specializing in secondhand luxury handbags—many of her followers tune in not just to shop but to hear her stories. “People tell me they look forward to my streams like they’re watching a weekly TV episode,” she says.
Live shopping is more than a transaction; it’s a cultural shift. It’s a community where style, personality, and entertainment collide. Shopping transforms from a checklist into a shared experience—sometimes while cooking dinner, sometimes with a glass of wine, sometimes with a barrage of chatroom jokes flying around. It’s a new kind of nightlife, made for the digital age.
Though the format is still evolving, Liana admits there’s no formula for how many items she’ll sell each time. “But I’m having a great time,” she says. And maybe that’s the real secret. Selling clothes has never been just about the clothes—it’s about the show, the connection, the joy. Live shopping isn’t just the future of retail—it’s the front-row seat to fashion’s most intimate and engaging performance yet.