On average, each New Zealander has seven unused items sitting in their wardrobes. Items which equates to $300 million worth of pre-owned clothing, shoes, and accessories according to Trade Me’s annual Circular Economy Report.
In acknowledgement of Secondhand Wardrobe Week, which took place February 13 – 19, 2023, Trade Me has partnered with Sammy Salsa to stage Aotearoa’s first biddable, pre-owned fashion show: Everyday Runway.
With a view of providing viewers a new fresh approach to how they can style their secondhand items, Everyday Runway’s wants to encourage Aotearoa to get behind a circular fashion economy, which not only benefits our environment but also the pockets of many Kiwis.
Sammy has curated a runway using more than 100 pre-love pieces to create a wide range of outfits including high-fashion and urban streetwear. The Everyday Runway garments will be available to bid on with all proceeds going to RainbowYOUTH.
We speak to Sammy on embracing pre-loved fashion, his green flags for buying pre-owned, and why we’re going to see an increase in the ‘lived-in’ aesthetic inherent in buying secondhand.
Read on for our Q&A with Sammy Salsa below:
1. How did you get involved in Trade Me’s Everyday Runway?
Trade Me and the team approached me with this project of styling a runway show and the catch was everything had to come from Trade Me. I had never styled or sourced for a show of this nature before – I’m so used to having the clothes options in front of me when sourcing. Whereas in this particular situation, I could only go by the imagery of what the sellers had posted. And from there I made the purchase. There were so many great options to choose from on the platform. I came across so many pre-loved NZ brands including some iconic prints and pieces from past collections of our established designers. It was a really fun experience and now I’m excited to get some of my own wardrobe listed on Trade Me.
2. What are some of your most frequently worn pre-loved items?
I have so many pre-loved Kowtow pieces. The quality of our own NZ-made clothes are so well constructed that they last for a lifetime – giving them a new life every time we hand them on to the next person.
3. Why do you choose to shop pre-loved?
Growing up in a Samoan household of five brothers with very little, I was used to wearing second-hand/hand-me-downs from my parents, cousins and friends – we made the most out of the very little we had. We were very resourceful when it came to dressing and fashion. So I think that experience has always been with me in my adult years when it comes to my fashion choices and where I shop.
4. What are your green flags when deciding what to purchase pre-loved?
I think the most important thing to do is to shop effectively. Ask yourself questions such as:
- Do I need this garment?
- Will I wear it?
- Do I love it?
- Do I already own something of this sort?
Understanding your current wardrobe and knowing the difference between your needs and wants will help make your pre-loved shopping experience so much more friendly and less overwhelming.
5. You’ve been a stylist for many years. Tell us about how your outfits come together for a brief. What role does sourcing pre-loved play in that?
Outside of fashion editorial, I style a lot of commercials and tv shows and most of the time these projects require a more “lived in” aesthetic with the wardrobe. So pre-loved sourcing is such a good option for this. I recently won Best Costume Designer at the New Zealand Television awards for my work on the TVNZ Drama The Panthers and about 95% of the costumes you saw on the show were pre-loved. Our costume department made it our mission to contribute to a circular fashion economy and also support the local community.
