My LA friends tuned me into fashion swapping, trading one’s wardrobe edits for another’s closet discards giving LY’s finds a second life. Brooklyn Yards, the outdoor space along the Gowanus Canal, hosted Score!, the massive free swap. From 12 – 6 PM, Brooklyn’s melting pot wheeled cases of treasures from the distinguished neighborhoods of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Fort Greene all converging in the yards. A free-for-all garage sale but with indie style, items were quickly placed in their designated departments separated by apparel, music, books, art supplies, home and of course miscellaneous. With rigged dressings rooms, lounge seating, spinning records, cafe and bar all added to an almost Milan’s 10 Corso Como experience. An out of the way fashion destination that was way more than a drive by!
I LOVE this and I can’t wait to go!!!
It is both wonderful and sad for me to see this “Fashion Swapping” happening:
As a “sustainability in design” advocate, I am happy to see that “changing of behavior” has taken place in some women in an effort to reuse, and to reduce waste thus reduce harm to the environment.
As a citizen of US, I am worried about the economy, before we figure out what could replace our consumerism economic model.
As a woman, I feel happy that many women are learning to be a lot more resourceful in order to keep up with their stylish image, during this economic downturn.
“Time is tough, but we stylish women got to live up to being stylish!”
As a fashion designer and an educator, I am concerned that my students, who are newly graduated from design programs are going to find selling new clothes a lot rougher!
(We all know what that means: fashion manufacturers are going to hire less new talents, while they are already laying off many super talented professionals from the industry.)
Will the fashion business become less global and more regional? Instead of buying local for our produce and food consumption, are we really going to stay in this fashion swapping with the locals not just for now but also in the future? Then, what is going to happen to the innovators of fashion, who so tirelessly research, design and develop new fashion products that are more “sustainable” for us to buy?