everyone loves to shop - especially when there's that moment when you spot an item that makes you gasp and you know that item will never go on the “out” pile when you clear your wardrobe.
The item that you hold onto whether you drop or gain a few kgs. More often than not it will be a garment or a pair of shoes that you spent more on than you should have on.
What if there was a way to part with that special piece without the heartbreak of selling it to a faceless stranger.
Well, there is and you won’t be left empty handed either.
It’s called swap shopping. It’s a cashless exchange of clothing. Ladies coming together and swapping out well-kept garments.
I spoke to Laverne Turner about this concept and everything you need to know about it. This Saturday Turner will be hosting her first swap shop event, Fashion Exchange.
Laverne Turner will be hosting the Fashion Exchange event. (Supplied)
What inspired you to start the Fashion Exchange?
I have a wardrobe full of great items I accumulated over the years with some pieces that were too special to just ‘give away’ or donate and I wanted to give them a second life.
I attended one of these fashion swap events in Dubai and found them to be a great way to clear out my wardrobe while creating a new one, and without spending a dime! I thought this was an amazing concept to bring to Cape Town!
How did you go about doing so?
It started with a bit of research among friends and family who had the same issue I did, I then realized how much this was actually needed! So it took a bit of research in terms of the best times, logistics, advertising etc.
How will ladies benefit from this event?
As we all know, fashion and being trendy has become costly to maintain so this provides an opportunity for ladies to clear out their wardrobes of great pieces that have not had their chance to wear in a while whilst giving great pre-loved pieces a second home! This is cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, a perfect win-win!
What are the criteria for the items being exchanged?
The items can range from clothing, accessories, bags and shoes (please ladies no underwear lol)! All participants can bring a minimum of 10 to 30 items to trade. All clothing need to be in good condition (no snags or damage in anyway). Items should all be clean, let’s be considerate of your fellow lady swappers!
How do you establish the value of each item?
This is completely at the owner's discretion. We each know how much we value an item (what we paid for it and/or sentimental value if any) but we would also need to be mindful that it was brought along to trade for a reason, it was not being utilized, so be extremely open-minded in terms of swapping an item to someone that would get wear out of it instead of find itself on a shelf for a number of years!
Turner’s Fashion Exchange event will take place on Saturday, 15 June at Grind for Truth, Somerset Rd, Green Point.
Check her Instagram page @the_champagne_life1 for more details.