Upcycled beads and weekly vintage drops: Introducing Iona MacLean
image via @ionamac/instagram
as told to daisy henry
“I really do love the thrill of the hunt.”
Nothing on fashion label Iona Maclean’s website is new. In fact, everything, from its weekly clothing drops to upcycled jewellery, is sourced secondhand. Channelling a lifelong love of thrift shopping into a label, Iona Maclean founded her eponymous brand in 2019, pivoting from a career in journalism and writing.
“Before I launched my vintage store, I heard a lot of people saying they wanted to wear secondhand clothes but didn’t have the time or ‘eye’ for thrifting,” she remembers. “I’ve been happy to offer my services and bring vintage to an accessible online space with weekly curated collections. It does take a lot of time to hand-pick each piece, but I really do love the thrill of the hunt.”
For more on slow fashion, head to our Pre-Loved section.
Since launching in 2019, the brand has developed the polish and consistency of a well-curated fashion label, while remaining firmly rooted in slow, mindful consumption. Part of this evolution has been the addition of an accessory collection, made entirely from upcycled op shop jewellery.
“I had been wearing long beaded necklaces as make-shift belts for a while and always got compliments on them,” Iona explains. “This gave me the idea to make my own reworked belts with recycled beads on leather rope.” Beaded accessories, including belts, necklaces, bracelets and earrings, have now become a mainstay her weekly drops, alongside vintage clothing hauls.
While an official shopfront remains a long-term goal, Iona recently marked another milestone with the introduction of vintage bridal wear this year. After wearing a pre-loved dress for her own wedding in 2022, she’s been slowly building the collection and preparing to open her studio doors for private fitting appointments.
View this post on Instagram
Fashion Journal: Hi Iona! Tell me a little about yourself. What’s your fashion background and where are you based?
Iona: Hello Daisy! It’s so nice to chat with you. I’ve been a fan of Fashion Journal for a long time, so it’s such an honour to be featured, thank you!
I recently moved back to my home city of Adelaide after living in Melbourne for eight years. I’ve been able to transition my online business to Adelaide quite seamlessly, which has been great, plus the thrift shops here are such honeypots for great vintage!
My background was originally in journalism and I wrote for a few local fashion magazines. This naturally progressed into having a personal ‘fashion blog’ because the year was 2013 and who was I to deprive a nondescript suburban wall from being the perfect backdrop for a cute thrifted outfit and an awkward pose? I obliged and it went from there, really.
View this post on Instagram
Can you take me back a little and tell me how Iona MacLean first got started? Where were you in your life when it launched?
So, after doing freelance work and blogging for a while, the traditional media and social media landscape started to shift, and I found myself doing more quick and short-form content for brands. I didn’t find this work as meaningful and I felt at odds with the fast-paced nature of fashion trends and over-consumption.
I had always been such an avid thrift shopper and the majority of my personal wardrobe was vintage. I felt a lot of pride in my secondhand finds – each piece felt timeless, good quality and unique. It was honestly one of those cliché moments where I woke up in the middle of the night and declared, “I’m going to open a vintage store”! That was in 2019 and I’ve been doing it ever since.
How has it evolved since launching seven years ago?
Up until recently, the only real evolution my business has seen is the slow and reluctant transition to low-rise jeans! Other than that, not much has changed.
However, last year I decided to introduce my reworked beaded collections and this year I’m launching vintage bridal wear. So it has been a good and much-needed excuse to finally upgrade my website. I will also be opening my studio doors for the first time this year for bridal fitting appointments, which I’m really excited about.
View this post on Instagram
How would you describe the feel and aesthetic of Iona MacLean to someone who has never seen it before?
I hope my vintage store feels welcoming, nostalgic and playful, because that’s how I feel when I think of vintage clothing. My collections are refined and considered, but also fun and experimental.
I would say my overall aesthetic is ’90s nostalgia with a touch of Y2K fun. I’m a sucker for timeless, quality pieces with a focus on natural fibres like silk, wool and leather, so I hope my pieces have a ‘lived-in’, luxury feel.
What was behind your decision to stock vintage? How do you go about sourcing the clothing?
I will always remember the first time I wore a vintage dress and how it made me feel. It was to a friend’s 18th birthday party and I wore an old ’80s dress I found in my mum’s closet. It was the first time I felt a true sense of unique style and expression through my clothes. I have chased that feeling ever since and fell in love with thrift shopping.
Before I launched my vintage store, I heard a lot of people saying they wanted to wear secondhand clothes but didn’t have the time or ‘eye’ for thrifting. So I’ve been happy to offer my services and bring vintage to an accessible online space with weekly curated collections. It does take a lot of time to hand-pick each piece, but I really do love the thrill of the hunt.
View this post on Instagram
I gravitate towards high-quality fabrics and preferably natural fibres, like silk, wool, linen, leather, cotton and denim. Then I look at colours – and while I usually try to avoid trends, I enjoy keeping an eye out for seasonal hues to bring some colour to my collections.
I also have my favourite Australian ’90s brands like Table Eight, Country Road, Garfunkle, Brown Sugar, Anthea Crawford, the list goes on. I get an adrenaline rush every time I see one of these tags!
I love your reworked jewellery. Can you step me through your process for making these pieces? Where do you find the materials?
Thanks so much! There are honestly so many beads at op shops, thanks to those of us who owned an unnecessary amount of long and layered beaded necklaces in the noughties. They’re just waiting to be found, reworked and loved again.
I had been wearing long, beaded necklaces as makeshift belts for a while and always got compliments on them. This gave me the idea to make my own reworked belts with recycled beads on leather rope. Then, I got hooked on beading and started making necklaces and earrings, and I’ve recently been working on key rings and phone charms too, which I hope to bring to the store very soon.
View this post on Instagram
Do you have any tips for people who want to try upcycling their own jewellery?
It’s so therapeutic and nice to work with your hands; the world goes quiet. I taught myself about materials, wire, bead-weave techniques and jewellery finishing (like clasps, etc.) from watching YouTube tutorials.
My tip would be to start by using recycled beads, because it’s a fun challenge to be creative within the limits of what’s in front of you, rather than feeling completely overwhelmed by choice at a bead store and then never starting due to decision paralysis. My other tip would be to wear shoes in your beading room. The number of rogue beads I have stepped on with bare feet is many!
I saw you’re also getting ready to debut your first vintage bridal collection this year. What was behind the decision to expand in this direction?
Yes! I am very excited to launch my debut bridal collection this year. I got married in a vintage wedding dress in 2022 and I became a little obsessed with vintage bridal wear after that. I’ve been slowly collecting incredible pieces over the past few years and I’ve finally curated a full collection ready to launch.
What can we expect from the collection? Are there certain brands, styles or eras you’ve been curating?
I’ve been looking for unique but timeless bridal designs. My favourite dresses are made from raw silk in warm white or ivory. I was very excited to find some rare vintage gems by Caléche Bridal and Mariana Hardwick.
View this post on Instagram
How do you see Iona MacLean developing over the next five years?
I hope I’ll still be doing my regular online collections, including the reworked beads and bridal. My dream would be to one day open a little shop front too!
Who are your dream collaborators?
Well, I often joke with Gaby from Dillon Store that if we lived in the same state, we would open a vintage store together! That would be a dream. Her vintage is iconic and she’s been an inspiration of mine for a long time.
What is in your wardrobe right now?
I’m really loving ballet flats. I’ve just thrifted a pair that remind me of Maison Margiela but they’re ’90s Hush Puppies, which can only mean one thing: comfort! I mainly gravitate toward wardrobe staples and have recently been living in a few easy-to-wear elevated basics from Deiji Studios.
View this post on Instagram
How can people shop your collections?
I have new vintage collections every week available for purchase on my website. I post collection previews and sneak peeks on my Instagram, where I can answer any questions people have before the drop goes live each Thursday night.
For those wanting to book bridal fittings, my Adelaide studio will be open for appointments very soon! More information can be found on my website.
Find more from Iona Maclean here.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
