Latest news with #WestfieldGoodFestival
RTÉ News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
'Queen of Thrift' Bay Garnett once styled Kate Moss in a £1 top
Stylist Bay Garnett, whose mum hails from Tyrone, has spent over two decades proving that second-hand doesn't mean second best. From putting Kate Moss in a charity shop banana print top on the cover of Vogue, to influencing the rise of vintage as high fashion, Garnett has built a career on a following your fashion instincts and a deep belief in what she calls "thrifting karma." Having styled the likes of Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan and Chloë Sevigny in second-hand gems; Garnett recently hosted the Style to Sell Studio at Westfield Good Festival in London on May 17, advising shoppers on how best to make a sale from unwanted garments. So, she breaks down her top tips for buying and re-selling pre-loved clothes to get the best look, sustainably and affordably. 1. Remember: some pieces are priceless Garnett's most iconic find was just £1 and has ended up becoming a piece of fashion history. "I put Kate [Moss] in a banana print top that I really, really loved, that I got from Cancer Research," she says. "Phoebe Philo [then creative director of designer Chloé] called me and said, 'Can I borrow that top?' Then she used it on the Chloé runway, and it's gone on to be quite famous." Years later, Vogue interviewed her about the shoot – and the now iconic top. "The Chloé version is now a collector's item – [the likes of] Lily Allen collect them," says Garnett. "I've got the original upstairs still – I talk to it like it's my dog, 'you've done very well, haven't you'," she laughs. 2. "Go with a sense of purpose of what you're looking for" Garnett's cardinal rule for vintage treasure hunting is to have something in mind to give you guidance when shopping. "I do genuinely believe in thrifting karma," she says. "It's really important to go with a sense of direction, and when you have a sense of direction, you have a sense of purpose […] then I believe that you will find something that you love." She shares a story of when her daughter wanted a T-shirt from Urban Outfitters with the words 'San Diego' sprawled over the front. During a trip to New York, "I said, I'm going find you a T-shirt like that San Diego one," Garnett recalls telling her daughter. "So in my head, I was like, San Diego, San Diego T-shirt in a thrift store […] it kind of just appeared out of nowhere and I was like – that's insane." Whether you're seeking a Seventies jacket or a Zara skirt that's now out of stock, she insists: "You can't expect a charity shop to do all the work for you." 3. Check the labels, quality – and the men's rail When it comes to spotting true gems, Garnett is specific. "I personally look for a Seventies label. I look for faded denim that's proper vintage." Checking the labels of clothes to understand the garment's make-up and going in with a list of popular brands from certain decades will help you find good quality clothing that meet your requirements. "I also advise people to go to the men's rail, because you can find amazing men's shirts that can be a bit like The Row," she says. 4. How to resell: Photograph, measure and add a note Garnett doesn't just buy second-hand but sells it too, and has clear advice for making your pieces shine online. "The way that you photograph it is really important […] and what's really important, I think, is listing the measurements," she says. "I want to know if the shoulders are going to actually fit my shoulders." If you're a frequent seller – Garnett says to go the extra mile so you stick in the buyer's mind. She recalls receiving a note when she purchased a jacket from a seller in the US: "It said 'Dear Bay, I have travelled halfway around the world just to be with you.' "If you're a regular seller, I think adding a personal touch is a really nice way to do business." 5. Celebrities and second-hand: "They like it more" You may think celebrities needed persuading to wear charity shop pieces for photo shoots: "Actually, the opposite has happened," says Garnett. "Whenever I put vintage on a celebrity or a model, they go, 'I love this'." She recalls dressing Carey Mulligan in a Seventies puffy-shouldered shirt she'd plucked from her own wardrobe. "She was like, 'I love it,' and it was interesting to me, because she loved something […] that had been worn for years. "It just has a different energy." 6. The red flag when buying new While second-hand shopping is undeniably sustainable – it can get confusing when buying new. "As soon as a new brand says on their Instagram profile, 'sustainable', that immediately makes me [sceptical] – you can't just use that word," she says. Instead, she champions transparency and action over language. "Nothing's absolutely sustainable if it exists, if it's being produced." 'Greenwashing' is part of a wider issue when it comes to the environmental impact of fashion. Garnett believes real change must come from the top. "Things need to change in a really kind of radical way […] we need blanket legislation." 7. Second-hand style icons When it comes to wardrobes she'd love to raid, "The Italian film actress Anita Pallenberg or Chloë Sevigny," Garnett says, "I think they're two people with an absolutely original take on style, and I find their wardrobes very interesting and eclectic, but also probably singularly stylish. But if she could delve well into the style archives, "Marie Antoinette's would be a lot of fun!" Garnett's approach to fashion as a whole is refreshing in a world of micro-trends. "If I see something new that I really love – then I'll buy it," she admits, "but if I'm going to buy something new, I'm going to sling it on every day." Still, for Garnett – and for the rest of us slowly learning to treasure rather than consume – second-hand is more a lifestyle than just a shopping habit: "you have to have a sense of energy when you go thrifting to find something," she says, "and that's part of the fun."
Time Out
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Five of the best free things to do in London this May bank holiday weekend
We've made it to another bank holiday, and the city is gearing up for a whole bunch of festivals, day trips, cultural excursions and nights out over the long weekend. But while we're hardly ones to grumble at the prospect of an extra day off work, we're well aware of how spenny these extra days off can get. Making it to the end of May without dipping into the ol' overdraft can be a challenge, with not one but two bank holidays to get through. But to help, we've roundup up a bunch of fun stuff happening around the city that won't cost you a penny. The best free things to do in London over the late May Bank Holiday weekend It's the bank holiday, of course you're going to be going for a few beers with mates. But all that boozing adds up, so what if we told you that the good people at Venn Street Records are going to be giving away 1,000 free pints this weekend. The vinyl store will be dishing out 250 pints of Camden Hells each day across the bank hol, starting on Friday, May 23 from 5pm until close each day. There will be performances too: on Sunday 25 at 6pm Glasto veterans Brass Funkeys will throw down a special brass set. Tickets are advised, and you can book online here. 78 Venn Street, SW4 0BD. Fri May 23-Sun May 25. Free (advanced booking advised). Give your wardrobe a sustainable makeover at Westfield Good Festival Planning a big spring clean of your wardrobe over the bank holiday? You'll learn plenty of helpful tips and tricks at this festival of pre-loved fashion, which sees world-famous shopping centre Westfield team up with fashion marketplace Depop to help shoppers to embrace sustainable habits. Head to Westfield's Stratford location this weekend to shop a curated edit of second-hand threads at an IRL Depop Marketplace, take part in free styling workshops, enjoy free skincare consultations from Kiehl's, and even nab up to £40 of free clothing alterations courtesy of door-to-door repair business Sojo. Westfield Stratford City, E20 1EJ. Fri May 23-Sun May 25. Free (first come, first served). Dig into South West Asian and North African fashion at the 3EIB Fashion Pop-up London Fashion Week is good and all, but it doesn't always offer the chance to discover cutting edge fashion houses from around the world. This bank holiday the Southbank Centre will host an alternative fashion show, showcasing 30 brands from South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA). The two-day event, hosted by community fashion platform 3EIB, will have everything from boundary-pushing ready-to-wear to affordable streetwear, and offer the chance to meet the people behind the clothes. SWAG from SWANA is part of the Southbank's Shubbak Festival, one of London's largest celebrations of contemporary SWANA culture. Queen Elizabeth Hall, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX. Sat May 24-Sun May 25. Free. Party with the great and good of London's queer nightlife scene at Dalston Supersquare Dalston's legendary LGBTQ+ club might have celebrated its sweet sixteenth with a massive party over the last bank holiday, but this diva really likes to turn her birthday into a month-long event. After a killer debut last year, the club's outdoor day party on nearby Gillett Square (where the old NTS radio booth used to be) is returning this bank holiday Sunday, with another secret line-up of Superstore regulars on the decks. Can't afford to shell out for the big day festivals this weekend? Reserve a free ticket here and head over to E9 for a boogie instead. Gillett Square, E8 2PB. Sun May 25. Free (advanced booking advised). Cheer on the ultimate afro dance showdown at Red Bull Bring the Vim On the Sunday of the long weekend, four afro dance crews will go head to head in an epic dance battle at Boxpark Croydon. Hosted by BBC Radio 1Extra's Remi Burgz, the Red Bull events will see dance crews throw down their finest amapiano, afro house and naija street style moves in a bid to become champion. Who takes the crown? That's up to you, as the crowd decides the winner. Legendary party hosts DLT (aka Days Like This) will supply the tunes, and there'll also be free dance workshops and live performances from British-Ghanaian band The Compozers and other special guests. You can reserve your spot with a free ticket.
Fashion Network
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Flagship Westfield Good Festival Returns this May
Major sustainability event Good Festival is returning to Westfield London (16-18 May) and Westfield Stratford City (23-25 May) with a programme of free workshops, masterclasses, and eco-conscious experiences. In partnership with resale platform Depop, the events are created 'to inspire and empower visitors to embrace sustainable choices across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle'. The centrepiece to this year's festival is the 'Style to Sell Studio', an exclusive activation at Westfield London, designed to 'upskill' visitors to become experts in turning their pre-loved fashion into profit. It invites visitors to bring up to five items of clothing or accessories they no longer wear to learn how to restyle by a team of expert stylists led by fashion sustainability advocate and former fashion editor, Bay Garnett. A professional photographer will also be on hand to direct sellers on how to capture high-quality images against carefully curated backdrops. Photos will be optimised for resale platforms like Depop. Alongside the Studio, the Westfield Good Festival also offers a host of activities 'to educate and inspire', including Depop Marketplace; Creative Workshops & Masterclasses; repairs specialist SOJO Alterations & Repairs; and Refill & Reimagine with beauty retailer Kiehl's Katie Wyle, director of Shopping Centre Management, Northern Europe at malls operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said: 'Our How We Shop Research reveals the Eco-Fluency trend with 57% of Gen Z and millennials planning to dedicate the majority of their clothing spend to pre-loved items in the near future and two in five consumers calling for high street brands to offer second-hand alongside new collections. 'This year, our partnership with Depop brings the vibrant energy of digital resale culture into the physical space, whilst our Style to Sell Studio offers opportunities for shared learning and a more conscious, empowered community.'
Fashion Network
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Flagship Westfield Good Festival Returns this May
Major sustainability event Good Festival is returning to Westfield London (16-18 May) and Westfield Stratford City (23-25 May) with a programme of free workshops, masterclasses, and eco-conscious experiences. In partnership with resale platform Depop, the events are created 'to inspire and empower visitors to embrace sustainable choices across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle'. The centrepiece to this year's festival is the 'Style to Sell Studio', an exclusive activation at Westfield London, designed to 'upskill' visitors to become experts in turning their pre-loved fashion into profit. It invites visitors to bring up to five items of clothing or accessories they no longer wear to learn how to restyle by a team of expert stylists led by fashion sustainability advocate and former fashion editor, Bay Garnett. A professional photographer will also be on hand to direct sellers on how to capture high-quality images against carefully curated backdrops. Photos will be optimised for resale platforms like Depop. Alongside the Studio, the Westfield Good Festival also offers a host of activities 'to educate and inspire', including Depop Marketplace; Creative Workshops & Masterclasses; repairs specialist SOJO Alterations & Repairs; and Refill & Reimagine with beauty retailer Kiehl's Katie Wyle, director of Shopping Centre Management, Northern Europe at malls operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said: 'Our How We Shop Research reveals the Eco-Fluency trend with 57% of Gen Z and millennials planning to dedicate the majority of their clothing spend to pre-loved items in the near future and two in five consumers calling for high street brands to offer second-hand alongside new collections. 'This year, our partnership with Depop brings the vibrant energy of digital resale culture into the physical space, whilst our Style to Sell Studio offers opportunities for shared learning and a more conscious, empowered community.'
