They’ve thought of everything, really.
The coronavirus outbreak has changed the world in ways that none of us could have ever predicted (except maybe virologists who actually study these events – they probably had an idea).
Suddenly, the world has moved entirely online. Physical shops no longer remain open. People are doing their dealings exclusively on the net to ensure that social distancing needs are met and the spread of the virus is curbed.
Naturally, this has had a considerable effect on the fashion industry. Many retailers have taken to announcing flash sales in a bid to shift their product, encouraging their customers to spend even more money in their online stores until the pandemic is over.
But what about sustainable fashion? What about the vintage stores, the one-off timeless finds, and the Irish flea markets that are usually always thriving?
As it turns out, some of them have been moving online too.
This month, Sustainable Fashion Dublin launched their very own virtual flea market in a bid to keep their followers up to date with all things vintage and pre-loved without ever needing to leave their homes.
In place of their monthly flea market that usually takes place in The Workman’s Club, this new virtual flea market will take place every Saturday over on the SFD Instagram page.
Showcasing up to 30 vendors from different areas of Ireland, the market takes place on Instagram Stories and features clothing and creations from an array of vendors, each of whom will share a selection of photos of their items on sale and a swipe-up link to their website.
SFD’s Geraldine and Taz say that they wanted to find a new and innovative way to communicate with their community during the coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-hLenaHrDE/
“We have been increasingly aware of the increasing struggles experienced by small local businesses, independent retailers and artisan producers of late,” they say.
“This, alongside the realisation that our views & interaction on social media have increased exponentially since the current lockdown measures, has lead us to think up a new idea: that of a ‘virtual market.'”
Sure, what else would you be doing with your Saturday?
SFD’s first virtual flea market took place last weekend. Geraldine says that she wasn’t sure what the response would be like, but she was blown away by the amount of people who got involved.
“We didn’t really know how it would go as we’ve never done anything like this before, and hadn’t seen anyone else do it either,” she tells Her.
“That being said, we were blown away by the interest and enthusiasm we got from the public about it. Our Instagram was hopping all day, with thousands of people checking out the stalls.
“In fact we had 300% more views we would usually get.”
You can check out Sustainable Fashion Dublin’s virtual market every Saturday during the Covid-19 pandemic here. Vendors can apply for a stall by emailing [email protected]
Sustainable Fashion Dublin recently shared their top tips for creating a sustainable wardrobe on Curated With Cassie, watch the episode here.
