There used to be a time when they were called hand-me-downs, when people were too embarrassed to admit they wore them, and when they would give them away secretly. Now, they are called pre-loved and are celebrated. People wait for thrift-store pop-ups, raid the shelf for their size, and gleefully browse the other shelves too. They are happy to buy lehengas someone wore to one wedding season, and boho dresses from an influencer's photo shoot in Greece. They know what sole damage, label-intact and nearly new mean. Some are even setting up thrifting circles among same-sized family and friends.
Even Pernia Qureshi is on the scene, with her venture, Saritoria.
A stylist, fashion icon and serial entrepreneur, Qureshi co-founded the online marketplace in 2021 with Shehlina Soomro, a London-based investment banker and hedge fund manager. Here, people sell pre-loved designer outfits.
Qureshi is neither the first person to see the value in pre-owned clothes, nor the only one on the scene. But she epitomises all the entrepreneurs pushing for a circular economy as Earth's delicate balance comes apart at the seams.
A stitch in time
None of the thrifting battle cries are untrue. When people buy pre-loved outfits, they do help save the world because the fashion industry is one of the most polluting. Every new garment that arrives in a store has already stressed limited water resources, will perhaps affect soil fertility, and may end up in a landfill. When people buy, wear and then chuck a garment, they add to that stress.
Denne historien er fra February 25, 2023-utgaven av Brunch.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 25, 2023-utgaven av Brunch.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Let's tri all the angles
BFFs falling for the same girl, kidnap twists, murders, bromances. These 10 three-way love stories play with geometry and our feelings
Should you Q up for this?
Audi's luxury SUV, the Q8, has had a refresh. But a sleeker grille and headlight tech don't make up for what's still missing
How to plan a great escape
It's getting colder. It's already hard to breathe. Why not plan a winter vacation that's a world away but not too far away?
Kababs, yes, but khandvi too
Mughlai cuisine has as many vegetarian dishes as meaty ones. A new translation of a 16th century manuscript shows how we ate, and why modern labels are pointless
I can be your hero
Gurfateh Pirzada, only afewroles old, is the green flag we didn't know we needed. He's learning from women. He wants to be more thana lover and a fighter. He's hoping we all do better. No wonder everyone's crushing on him
Meet the export experts
Khadi crop-tops in Spain, faux-leather hoodies in London, fairytale wedding gowns in the UAE. See how some desi labels are killing it on foreign shores
Why we're all feeling Blue
Coco Mellors's new novel is about grief, sisterhood, and of course, addiction and unlikeable women. How does she make it work?
This week, we're...
Changing the momo game, listening to kids, starting a new business, and supporting pro waxxers
Rohit Chawla
Photographer, artist, @RohitChawlaPhotography_
Congratulations, it's a goal
Lakeside vows, pastel palettes, bayous, backyards and boats. These celeb weddings are what modern fairytales are made of
