The trend of buying and selling preloved fashion is on the rise, fueled by a cost of living squeeze and growing eco concerns. This secondhand market is expected to take 10% of global sales, and major sellers like eBay have dropped fees for preloved garment sellers. Designers are taking to the trend too, with many finding potential in the unexpected. Wayne Hemmingway is a designer who has embraced this trend and hopes to take preloved fashion to the next level with his new charity venture.
Speaking of his preloved clothing finds, Hemmingway recalls buying trousers while running through Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco in the 70s. Hemmingway is a keen runner, which is a commonly occurring theme in his preloved stories. The clothes he chooses are comfortable and have a unique story to tell. Hemmingway’s fashion choices are all about self-expression, wellbeing, style, and sustainability.
Hemingway and his wife, Gerardine, started selling vintage fashion on Camden market, a step that later led to the launch of the iconic British brand Red or Dead. With his latest venture, Charity Super.Mkt, Hemingway aims to bring multiple charity retailers together to expand the appeal of preloved shopping. This department-store-style charity operation enables customers to shop in locations like Brent Cross and Bond Street in London, plus many other locations around Britain. Charity Super.Mkt has raised almost £1.6m through the sale of over 180,000 items. The initiative is environmentally friendly too; it has diverted 53 tonnes of clothing from landfill and contributed to a consumption statement.
With fashion charity Traid as Hemmingway’s partner in Charity Super.Mkt, the venture aims to bring the trend of secondhand clothes into the sustainable fashion world. Traid has put 228 million garments back into use, saving 622,059 tonnes of CO2 and 105.3 million m3 of water. With his love for preloved fashion, Hemmingway hopes more people embrace the idea for sustainable fashion, looking good and contributing to the wellbeing of the planet
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