Behind the Scenes at Fashion Thrift Society: My Industry Experience
WORDS BY NFC STUDENT LATISHA LING
Fashion Thrift Society (FTS) is the most iconic second hand market you will ever come across; supporting small Australian sellers, sustainable shopping and delicious vintage clothing what’s not to love? When this opportunity popped up in my inbox, I audibly gasped and I think I may have startled the girl next to me in line at the coffee shop. But what she doesn’t get is that for a vintage fashion girly, this opportunity was just so fetch!
It was a bright and early 7am start at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Center. FTS had booked out two full sized sport stadiums to fit all their lovely vendors and services. Straight off the bat the team was radiating a positive attitude. You could really tell they love what they do. We started off by shadowing one of the head coordinators and received the inside scoop on how these events are put together. I was so grateful for the team members taking the extra time to share such in depth knowledge on the company and every little detail that comes together to create a market day.
Intensity grew as the hours ticked closer to doors opening. Vendors were hustling to perfect the final details of their stores. There was such a unique variety of stalls from classic Y2K to whimsy boho, hand made street wear and the icon of the day; the pay per kilo rummage. I learnt that the majority of these vendors actually follow FTS across Australia creating the opportunity for them to support themselves full time through the markets. It just goes to show truly how many avenues there are in this glorious industry.
This event was particularly special as it was a collaboration with Depop. We were informed they were watching very closely as they don’t collaborate often. We had to get as many people as possible signing up to Depop and promoting the event through social media using a specialized hashtag. It was super cool to see these social media marketing tools from class being utilized in the real world.
By the time doors opened, the line of patrons was as long as the entire MSAC. This was an event people did not want to miss. I helped out the front scanning tickets which was a great opportunity to interact with the customers and also see some really cool outfits from them. The customer demographic was so diverse and goes to show second-hand fashion is truly appreciated by all.
I also had the opportunity to capture some content for FTS’s own social media. They wanted detailed shots, outfit checks and general community highlights. I was so excited to be able to show some of my creative skills in the content creation department and I’m honoured they trusted me with this job.
An intense event with lots of behind the scenes work, this experience really opened my eyes to how much truly goes into creating a market and how the event industry and fashion industry can combine together. I would definitely be jumping at this opportunity if it were to arise again and would urge any NFC student to come and learn from this amazing team. Thank you to Fashion Thrift Society for having us and thank you to NFC for creating these valuable and unforgettable experiences.