Finding beauty in the chaos, the Haulternative Closet is an event series daring to revamp the clothes swapping industry. The name stems from an amalgamation of the words "Haul", and "Alternative" credited to NGO—Fashion Revolution. This elevated swapping event is a response to the need to find creative and innovative solutions to fashion's pollution problem—a challenge which we hope to play a humble role in resolving.
I banded together with my three girlfriends— Besma, professional blogger and founder of Curiously Conscious, Megha, full-time girl boss and founder of Uhuru Fashion, and Rosie, sustainability fanatic and data analysis guru at Farfetch. Together, we believed we had the perfect team to take over London's clothes swapping scene.
We took time to consider how we could counter the "haul" trend, wherein shoppers will heave bags of new garments home with them while avoiding the bric-a-brac tenor of typical clothes swapping events. To this end, we strived to put luxury at the centre of the swap, which involved sourcing a roster of pre-loved clothing including the likes of Burberry jeans, Christian Dior jumpers and Calvin Klein dresses.
As it turns out, organising a clothes swap is not all roses. It is important to get together a big enough crowd so that there is something for everyone no matter what their size or style may be. This is especially challenging when you want to ensure that you create enough diversity amongst the femxle attendees and that the garments that enter the swap are of a high standard.
Despite various challenges, what I love about clothes swapping events is the energy in the room— feeling womxn come together and celebrating fashion purely for the joy of it. Sustainability is at the heart of the Haulternative Closet, but we never see that as being at odds with having fun and discovering beautiful fashion pieces. This is perhaps what I missed the most about clothes swapping events in 2020— connecting with equally passionate womxn through fashion and cheering each other on no matter how absurd or brilliant an outfit may be.
We hope to see the Haulterntive Closet come back in exciting ways in 2021. Stay Tuned.
Love + solidarity,
TFCR x
Swappable pieces at the event ^
Shout out to our amazing partners for getting behind the event all the way:
42 Acres – Sustainable event space and retreats in Shoreditch and Somerset, who kindly provided their space for our swap.
Beanbroidery – Embroidery applied to pre-loved clothing, and the duo behind our free embroidery workshop.
Boodi Jewellery – Eco vegan jewellery made from recycled materials, we were delighted to have Boodi display alongside our swap.
DePloy London – Sustainable style for smart women, Deploy kindly provided a number of items for the swap.
Eco Furniture Hire – Family-run furniture hire business who provided the tables for our stalls, bar, and workshop room.
Every Origin – Handmade and eco-friendly gifts which made for a lovely stall to visit during our swap.
Global Fashion Exchange – Network providing publicity for clothes swaps, who kindly supported us in getting our name out there!
Herb Clinic London – Marie & Sophie, who shared their wisdom with us in their tea and skincare workshop.
Mayamiko – Sustainable fashion brand focusing on female empowerment, who provided a brilliant selection of pieces for our swap.
Medocup – Stainless steel pint cup brand who displayed at our event and provided swappers with a more sustainable way to drink!
Pebble Magazine – My favourite digital sustainable magazine, who shone a spotlight on our event (and likewise, make sure you head to their Conscious Christmas market later this year!)
Random Leon – Whimsical upcycled fashion brand (who travelled all the way from Paris to show their collection at our event!)
Senser Spirits – High end non-alcoholic spirits brand, who put on a bar for us with a range of classy botanically-active cocktails!