Graham Wetzbarger

Graham Wetzbarger has a strong background in the luxury resale industry. Graham founded Luxury Appraisals & Authentication in 2019, a consultancy firm specializing in authentication certification, legal IP compliance, and fair market valuations. Graham is currently the Founder & CEO of the company.

In 2022, Wetzbarger co-founded the Authentication Institute of America and also founded TheFashionDetective.com, where they serve as the CEO. Graham is also the Chief Authentication Officer at MyMarkit, a company that provides non-fungible digital identifiers for certifying product authenticity. Graham is an advisory board member at Legitmark.

Wetzbarger was previously the Chief Authenticator at The RealReal, a position they held from 2013 to 2019. During their tenure, they played a key role in growing the company into a leader in the luxury resale market and implemented brand protection standards.

Additionally, Wetzbarger has experience in education. Graham worked as an Adjunct Professor at the Academy of Art University, teaching and writing about fashion journalism. Graham also taught at Bag Borrow or Steal, where they served as the Head of Appraisals & Authentication and was responsible for launching the company's Buy, Sell, Trade category and training employees on authentication techniques and pricing formulas.

Graham Wetzbarger's education history begins with earning a BFA in Fashion Design from Pratt Institute, which they attended from 2002 to 2006. During their time at Pratt Institute, they also pursued a minor in Art History. In 2001, prior to attending Pratt Institute, Graham participated in a Summer Program for Fashion Design & Merchandising at The Art Institutes.

In 2014, Graham pursued a specialization in Gemology by attending GIA (Gemological Institute of America), where they earned the title of Accredited Jewelry Professional. In 2015, they further expanded their legal knowledge by attending Fordham University School of Law's Fashion Law Bootcamp.

Continuing their education, Graham attended NYU School of Professional Studies in 2017 to study Appraisal Studies, specifically completing a course in USPAP. The same year, they also achieved the status of an Accredited Member from the Appraisers Association of America.

In 2018, Graham enrolled in Christie's Education to gain expertise in the Contemporary Art Market. Graham also studied Fashion & Sustainability at the London College of Fashion and learned about Antiquities Trafficking & Art Crime at the University of Glasgow.

Additionally, Graham has obtained several certifications in various areas. In 2019, they obtained the Accredited Member title from the Appraisers Association of America. In 2020, they received certifications in Parsons Streetwear Essentials from Yellowbrick Streetwear Essentials, Certified Pearl Specialist from the Cultured Pearl Associations of America, Inc., and FIT Sneaker Essentials from the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Graham has also completed online courses such as Fashion History for Today from The Business of Fashion and courses on copyright and appraising fine art, though information about the institutions offering these courses is not provided.

Overall, Graham Wetzbarger has a diverse educational background consisting of degrees, certifications, and specialized coursework in fashion design, art history, gemology, fashion law, appraisal studies, contemporary art, fashion sustainability, and art crime.