Fashionistas flock to market for taste of all things vintage, preloved
On Saturday, Dunedin treasure hunters swarmed to the Maori Hill Community Centre in Highgate to search through the racks for second-hand, or unique and handmade clothing and goods.
When the doors opened at 11am, there was already a sizable queue.
At the market was Venus Vintage Treasure's stallholder Abby Fleur, who said her stall was comprised of pieces she had thrifted and found, clothing picked at estate sales and also "really quality old school woollens".
Some of the clothing came from her own wardrobe; other clothes she had spotted while hunting for a bargain and never had the chance to make use of.
Others were damaged pieces she fixed up to breathe new life into.
"The secret trick is actually to spray cheap vodka on the clothes and it transforms the must molecules — they just evaporate off.
"It's totally magic ... it can go from smelling like literal hell, then be restored to its former glory," she said.
She did not expect to sell everything. A lot of the clothing was unique and needed the right owner to fall in love with it.
But Ms Fleur was happy to keep hold of the pieces until that time came.
She said she did not have a lot of money to put into the operation she was running, and it was more of a "scrounging operation" at times.
But giving new life to a garment, then seeing a person fall in love with it, made it all worthwhile.
Be-loved Vintage and Pre-loved Clothing Market organiser Joanna Livingston said there were 11 different sellers who all had their own "vibes and passion".
"We all love doing this because we're really into the sustainability side of it, as well as the uniqueness of the fashion," she said.
One of her favourite parts of the day was seeing all the unique outfits the treasure hunters were wearing.
"People walk in and they're often wearing such cool clothes. You're like, 'oh, look at her outfit, look at his outfit'."
The clothing markets are usually held about four to five times a year between February and November, Ms Livingston said.
"The people that are here, the sellers, are just very passionate about what they do. It's not a money-making venture. It is a true passion for the clothing, which is really gorgeous."
The Be-loved Vintage and Pre-loved Clothing Market's next event would be on August 9 and 10 with a pop-up shop at the Dunedin Community Gallery.
laine.priestley@odt.co.nz
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