Second-hand clothing has taken flight in recent years, despite clothes being worn out, it sure has not worn out its welcome here. Different stores however choose different ways to sell these clothes.
Second-hand clothing itself maybe old, but the look has its own flavor; Mr. Yeung regularly buys vintage clothing and said he likes the look of the clothing, and does not mind if it’s worn or not.
Wendy and AJ are owners of White Whale vintage, the store is unapologetic in being “vintage”, with old military boots, jackets, clothes decked out in the store.
They think that people do not really mind about the clothes being worn before, instead some really go for the worn-out look.
However newcomers to second-hand clothing maybe put-off by distressed clothes, but after a few more visits to the shop, they said customers would feel comfortable to venture out of their comfort zone.
AJ said most people worry about the versatility of the product, as the customers might not be able to wear distressed clothing to too many occasions.
Older clothes are usually dyed with less chemicals in the past, thus they fade easily after wear, which creates a unique look with fades or patches.
“You might think they don’t like clothes too worn-out, but some seek out the clothes that are more faded or patches.” AJ said.
According to them, there are cases where the person at first does not like clothes that are too worn-out, but then seeks out older pieces later on.
However the humid and hot weather here is not suited for wearing vintage clothing, with most of these clothes being very thick.
They do not equate second-hand clothing to vintage clothing, instead they want to promote the history, functionality and design of the clothing.
“The public might be interested in the history of a workers’ apparel, why it has such a number of pockets? Why is it designed such a way?” the owners said.
They source the clothes from all around the world, where they visit thrift stores and shops, a major advantage for them is that they can ensure quality of the clothes, as they source products according to their own preference.
It also means they can source designs that customers might find it unique and special, attracting them to buy it. As opposed to big brands who source products according to present trends.
Sally Chan Yiu-yiu and Yan Wai-ching come from Macau to shop here, they said they appreciate the uniqueness of second-hand clothing, they won’t find another person with the same outfit.
AJ said contacts sourced clothes in small batches, as they care more about the quality and design of the products, as opposed to big brands that mass-produce clothes.
Their products range from military to worker apparel, sourced from contacts all over the world. After that they wash the clothes themselves and patch them up if necessary.
Apart from the historic allure of the vintage clothing, some choose to repackage the clothes in a different way, catering to a more modern crowd.
The Closeteur is an online second-hand clothing store that curates its own clothes, all from local personalities like stylists or celebrities, with the owners of the clothes model their prized possession.
Vivien Wong and Olivia Lee both started the business on a whim, slowly expanding their business from scratch; now they even started a complementary online-magazine to help their business.
Instead of focusing on the vintage side of things, the duo did the opposite; they tried to re-package the clothing, giving it a more current and modern feel.
“I want people to think they buy clothes from the Closeteur, instead of saying they bought clothes from a second-hand clothing store.”
Olivia said this is more palatable to the customers, as they would find it easier to accept second-hand clothing this way.
“You can’t force someone to go vegan all of a sudden, you have to make desirable before people can consider turning into vegan.” According to Vivien when discussing on packaging second-hand clothing.
They have sellers model the clothes, which they explained as promoting the lifestyle of the wearer to the customers. The packaging of the clothes are to let customers feel as if they are buying clothes from a physical store.
The online magazine looks no different to any modern couture material in stores, with interactive icons that allow readers link back to the online store immediately, if they wish to buy the specific clothing advertised in the magazine.
Both agreed that the public reacted positively to their image, as the store attracts people of multiple nationalities; Olivia said there are readers from China, Singapore, Korea and even Russia, browsing their online magazine.
They wish to not only promote clothing, but also to promote recycling and reusing of clothes. Olivia said the idea originated from her shopping habits getting out of hand, as a person may grow out of a certain style or the clothing simply may not fit anymore, it should not be wasted and should be shared to the public.
She said modern technology is a major part contributing to compulsive shopping behavior, when a pair of jeans could be one-click away on your mobile phone or tablet; Fast fashion brands like H&M and Zara also a factor, with brands coming up with trendy designs at a low price.
Examining the local culture, both agree that the local second-hand culture can grow even more, but is still comparatively young and undeveloped compared to other places around the world.
Countries like Canada have regular markets and fairs where people showcase their vintage clothing, according to Olivia.
Henry Wong 