The new 'it' thing: a clothes swap party

Swappers at The Shift's Heatwave Edition 3.0 Swap party in Bengaluru. (Photographs Courtesy: The Shift )
Swappers at The Shift's Heatwave Edition 3.0 Swap party in Bengaluru. (Photographs Courtesy: The Shift )

Summary

A growing number of millennials and Gen Zers are shopping for secondhand clothes for the love of environment and self expression

Over 70% of Nayantara Dutta's wardrobe is thrifted. Her interest in thrifting, or the act of buying pre-loved clothes and accessories in stores, pop-ups or online, started in 2017 while working in New York. The sense of pride in making eco-conscious fashion choices plus the thrill of wearing something one of a kind made her fall in love with all things vintage. So much so that when she moved to Mumbai in 2020, majority of her wardrobe was thrifted.

“A lot of my clothes get so many compliments," says Dutta, 28, a research director at Clean Creatives, a non-profit promoting sustainability in the creative industry. Among her favourite finds are an Alo Yoga top and glitzy dresses she wears when performing at jazz nights—it’s a hobby—in Mumbai.

Also read: Plastic Free July: Your style guide to upcycled couture

Dutta is part of a growing community of millennials and post-millennials who believe disposability is no longer chic. They want to buy and flaunt old, or preloved/secondhand, fashion items because they are cheaper, more unique and more importantly, better for the environment. According to a McKinsey report, The State of Fashion 2024, 75% of Gen Z aged 11-26 consumers consider sustainability when making purchases.

In India, thrifting began humbly in friends' homes, where clothes were piled on to beds and sifted through together. Garage sales and informal swaps were also known, but weren't a popular concept. With millennial and Gen Z consumers' growing interest in conscious fashion post-pandemic, thrifting has evolved beyond purchasing clothes, culminating in the rise of clothing swap parties. Imagine exchanging six pieces of clothing for six new ones without spending a single rupee. That's one of the reasons for their rising popularity.

Thrift organisations like The Shift, Bombay Closet Cleanse, The Relove Closet, Fashion Revolution India are now hosting regular clothes-swap parties across the country, promoting circular fashion. The swap-and-shop model works on three ideas: reduce waste, promote creativity, and encourage participants to repurpose and restyle existing garments.

At non-profit Fashion Revolution India's recent swap party in Bengaluru, for instance, close to 230 people showed up. Most of them were millennials and Gen Zers, informs Shruti Singh, 36, the country head of Fashion Revolution India.

Saanvi Pahari, 17, a homeschooled student planning to pursue a bachelor's degree in fashion design, was one of them. ''I'm trying to be as conscious as possible, considering how dirty the fashion industry is," says Pahari, who got a maroon embroidered shrug at the swap and a navy blue floral mini skirt. Saanvi swapped them for two of her mother's sarees and a pair of cargos that no longer fit her.

Anuhya Katta, 26, a tech consultant at Deloitte, embraced her interest in fashion during the pandemic by surveying over 100 thrift stores on Instagram about their practices. This led her to start The Shift, a thrifting platform based in Bengaluru that hosts offline events that advocates upcycling and swapping. As a former fast-fashion consumer, Katta says she doesn't want to be a "bad fashion citizen". “Swap parties matter because we're intervening even before the step of upcycling. It's about circularity in that little step" she says.

To ensure a fair and enjoyable experience, clothing swap parties establish guidelines for what can and cannot be swapped (no stained or worn-out items). By setting expectations, organisers prevent disappointment and frustration, allowing participants to focus on the fun aspect of swapping and building connections with like-minded individuals. Anuhya explains, “By swapping clothes within communities, we're building connections and reducing waste. Then, it could become a dust cloth or a dress could become a two-piece set". With a small entry fee to cover logistics, swappers come together in person, fostering a shared experience that's increasingly rare in the online-dominated thrift landscape.

Media strategist Anushka Chhikara, 25, attended The Shift's Heatwave Edition 3.0 Swap party, where she browsed through some 600 items, alongside 55 other swappers. She went with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised by her haul, "I probably wouldn't have tried any of these pieces myself. It was a guilt-free shopping experience," Chhikara says. She copped a mustard yellow hoodie with a black ribbon detail and an anime-esque purple crop top with a criss-cross bejewelled chain detail on the chest and detachable sleeves — two items she would've never picked herself.

That's something that drove Sana Khan, 35, and her sister Alfiya, 27, to start Bombay Closet Cleanse (BCC). BCC began with a garage sale at their Bandra home, they used the proceeds to cover the cost of logistics and donated a portion of their proceeds to the Salvation Army. Today, BCC hosts clothing swap events every five to six weeks, offering a unique thrifting experience. For a nominal service fee of ₹99, participants can assess their clothes, receive store credit points, and swap them for new items. The events are highly popular, booking up quickly, and limited to 40-50 people per session, with time slots available for 8 hours.

Sana is certain there is a shift in the winds: “Youngsters want to make more responsible choices. It’s only a matter of time before thrifting becomes a way of life in India as well."

Sruti Ashok agrees. Her platform The Relove Closet in Chennai's Besant Nagar began in 2019 as an online charity initiative but has since evolved to include offline events. "We see mostly women since they are always keen on looking for something new and different," Ashok, 33. "Also, they are more open to thrifting and shopping secondhand."

Perhaps the biggest draw of thrifting is making a strong style statement. As Dutta says, "Thrifting is like expressing yourself by turning something old into new. Isn't that such a cool thing?"

Also read: Source: Your style guide to the ‘brat’ fashion trend

 

 

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