Kowtow is hosting a designer clothes swap for Melbourne Fashion Week
in partnership with kowtow
words by lara daly
From one wardrobe to another.
There’s a particular guilt that comes with having a piece of clothing in your wardrobe that you simply don’t wear. Maybe it was an impulse purchase, perhaps your style has changed, or it’s been sitting at the back of your wardrobe waiting for the right occasion that never seems to arrive. Whatever the reason, letting go can be easier said than done.
This Melbourne Fashion Week, Kowtow is offering another option: swap it. On Saturday, October 24, Kowtow is bringing together pre-loved Australian and New Zealand designer clothing for a one-day-only Clothes Swap. Pieces that have fallen out of rotation can find a new home, while you get to discover something you might not have otherwise come across.
For more on the circular economy, head to our Pre-Loved section.
Following the success of its original Clothes Swap at New Zealand Fashion Week, where more than 500 items of clothing found a new home, this edition invites Kowtow’s Australian community to gather, swap and connect in person.
While there are now more ways than ever to move unwanted clothes on, a clothes swap offers a pretty compelling alternative. Not only is it a rare opportunity to dig into the archives of other incredibly stylish people, but there’s the added benefit of not having to photograph your pieces, write detailed descriptions or answer messages. You bring in the clothes you’re ready to part with, and get the chance to take something home in return.
Importantly, this isn’t a Kowtow-only swap. The curation will feature quality, pre-loved pieces from Australian and New Zealand designers more broadly, so the appeal is as much in discovering something unexpected as it is in clearing out your own wardrobe.
You might hand over a dress you no longer love and leave with a jacket you’ll wear every week – all while keeping both garments in circulation. It’s an approach that sits at the heart of Kowtow’s focus on waste prevention: before making something new, consider what already exists.
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How the Kowtow Clothes Swap works
From Monday, September 21, Kowtow’s Fitzroy store will become a dedicated collection point for pre-loved Australian and New Zealand designer garments. You can bring in up to five pieces you no longer wear, with each garment assessed to make sure it’s in excellent condition and ready to be passed on. For every accepted piece, you’ll receive a token to redeem at the Clothes Swap event, which will be sent to you via email.
Then, on Saturday, October 24, the collection will come together at Younghusband in Kensington from 10am. Whether you come alone or with a friend, you can take your time browsing the curated selection of pre-loved styles, try your favourites on in the on-site change rooms and exchange your tokens for something new.
If you donate five pieces, you can pick up five new pieces on the day (so make sure to bring a bag with you). At the end of the day, any unclaimed pieces will be donated to Common, a circular clothing organisation based in Melbourne.
What pieces will be accepted
You won’t find overflowing racks of fast fashion. Instead, Kowtow are looking for well-maintained and cared-for clothing from Australian and New Zealand designers, whether that’s well-known, established labels or emerging, independent fashion labels. To increase your chances of having your clothing accepted, make sure each item is clean, fault-free and in great condition – the kind that you’d lend to a friend.
While different types of clothing, from coats to dresses, skirts and tops, are all included in the clothes swap, Kowtow won’t be accepting swimwear, underwear, jewellery, footwear or accessories.
When is the Kowtow Clothing Swap?
The collection period runs over four weeks, from Monday, September 21 at Kowtow, 195 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, giving you plenty of time. Then, the official Kowtow Clothes Swap event will take place on Saturday, October 24 from 10am to 1pm at Younghusband, Kensington, as part of Melbourne Fashion Week.
From there, the pre-loved pieces are yours to cherish. And who knows? You might even catch someone on the street wearing a piece that was once yours.
Find out more about the Kowtow Clothes Swap here.
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