Bay Garnett, who put together the outfits for Oxfam’s London Fashion Week show,
the stylist, who has dressed stars including Kate Moss in pre fashion, also said she believes the culture of wearing a new outfit just once for a social media post will become a thing of the past.
I have been hearing this for sometime and was flabbergasted to discover that the UK alone sends 700,000 tonnes of clothing to recycling centres, textile banks, clothing collections, and charity each year, reflects that people do not like what they have purchased. Garnett, who started her career in fashion in the 90s, is excited by secondhand’s growing popularity, especially among younger generations. “Buying secondhand is a form of activism. We’re in a climate emergency so why wouldn’t Gen Z buy secondhand? A sustainable option is now cool.”
Shopping for Vintage and Secondhand is a sustainable way of enjoying fashion.
Yes we all love a category and by the way there is a big difference:
Antique: Over 100 years old - more for collectors
Vintage:
Has an age to it, rare finds, from the 1930s up to the 80s some now include 90s
Secondhand: Can be something purchased yesterday, even new unworn with original tags or a bit older that the wearer no longer needs fits into etc.
They all fall into the Pre-loved category.
Garnett hand-picked around 80 items of clothing for the show apparently she visited a huge warehouse and in her mind thought of the the different genres, tribes and ideas and then found different themes and in stead of styling them on catwalk models, actually styled them on real personalities including a pregnant Daisy Lowe. The outfits featured a mix of second-hand designer items, vintage finds, and some pre-loved high-street clothes.
"It’s not trying to create a world that’s exclusive to a certain type of person. It’s inclusive."
Buying from a collection created by a vintage trader or styler in a charity shop will really enable you to be more imaginative about the way that you wear things.
The outfits on Love Island have again been curated from Ebay so let's hope this will also have an impact on the fast fashion, what ever 'look' you are looking for, even if we are not gathering around the fire pit in 'glamour wear' other options are out there!
So this is where we open our minds and be creative be original and be kind to the planet at the same time. We don't need trends and the colour police to tell us all to wear 'high vis green' and stripes for example. So as Bay Garnett from the fashion world has admitted dressing the person, the personality is such a winning combination it brings out 'You'. It may take a bit longer, it is not so easy, however the hunt for the colours your love, the length that suit you, the fabrics that feel good will be so worth it.
Happy Vintage and Secondhand shopping, enjoy the hunt and remember. "It's all about you."
Lynda Case
Rock Follies Vintage