Introducing the preloved fashion market event with heart, welcoming everyone to raid their wardrobes and swap their clutter for cash.
Every second month, Wardrobe Warriors (WW) is held in Brisbane to sell those clothes, shoes and accessories that you may no longer use, but another can't wait to flaunt. Open for men and women, young and old, it's not your standard market, i'ts a fashion market with a cause. Each event supports a different charity through gold coin donations at the door, raffle tickets, and the selling of donated items on the day. So far in 2015 they have raised $4000 for Assist A Sista and Animal Angels Rescue and have a goal to rais $12,000 by the end of the year.
WW began as a feat to reach a niche market and fill a gap that others hadn't. Founder Lauren Pearson recognised this gap when she was attending markets selling her own clothing line. After realising that there was an overflow of boutiques just like hers, and that she simply did not fit in at any of the markets she attended, she decided to go down a slightly different road. “Whether it was at the markets competing with bric-a-brac and car parts or at a designer market where customers just wanted designer items – we could not find our niche.”
She stumbled on the idea of having a market that was solely dedicated to clothing and accessories, to make it easier to get her name out there without having to compete with bric-a-brac and designer labels. However, her passion for preloved clothing caused her to research and discover more about the fashion industry. She became heavily involved in recycling fashion and sustainable fashion, and after finding out about how fast fashion is destroying lives and the world, decided that she didn't want to run a boutique that contributed to that. “Wardrobe Warriors is my chance to help other people, inspire other people, grow and learn all at the same time. It is my chance to make something of myself and get myself a name, at the same time as doing good.”
Encourages the buying and selling of both brand new and pre-loved clothing, WW hopes to make a difference in the lives of both their customers and the world. The next event will raise funds for Pay A Sack Forward – an organisation helping the homeless in Australia.
Wardrobe Warriors will be held at the Mount Gravatt Showgrounds, 28 June.
