Illinois-based clothing brand Phoenix hosted a pop-up thrift event centered around promoting sustainability on Sunday at the Siebel Center for Design.
Briana Norwood, junior in Business, greeted vendors and visitors as they entered the building. Over 40 vendors were placed throughout the building, providing a variety of styles to choose from.
She explained that Phoenix is part of Illinois Enactus, which is an organization of startups and social entrepreneurs directed towards combating social issues, according to its social media.
“Phoenix specifically is targeted towards sustainability in fashion,” Norwood said. “Thrifting has become really common, and it’s a great way for people to repurpose their clothes instead of throwing them away.”
Norwood said Phoenix collaborates with organizations that are centered around sustainability.
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It was later announced that Phoenix would officially partner with The Fashion Network, a fashion-based registered student organization at the University.
The Fashion Network’s editor-in-chief, Monique Robinson, made an appearance at the event to promote TFN.
Local bands performed throughout the event. The lineup included Dumbed Down, D.Rew, Cash Only, Ultraviolet, Sitrus Sol and The Meantime.
The concert was recorded in a separate media room which provided a small intimate setting for audience members. If attendees wanted to focus on browsing through clothes, each act was livestreamed on a large screen for thrifters and vendors to view.
Some vendors present included Three Piece Vintage, Discardistry and MadSol Vintage; three pop-up-style small businesses unique from one another.
Three Piece Vintage is a Champaign-based vintage shop run by locals Tyler Jenkins, Ben Jones and Gia Macedo. The shop showcased various baseball caps, windbreakers, shirts and sweatshirts.
“We are a group of three friends who love clothes and love sustainable clothing and giving people the option to wear cool s— for cheap,” Jenkins said.
The Discardisty shop promoted its miniature earrings and keychains. There were rows of earrings made with miniature shampoo bottles, Coca-Cola cans and household items. Jewelry was hung on recycled playing cards.
The shop featured enamel pins with slogans, while other pins bore song lyrics by Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and Harry Styles.
MadSol Vintage’s array of 2000s-inspired items attracted many customers throughout the event. The shop is run by Madeline Kim, junior in Business.
“Our style encompasses Y2K and a bunch of different aesthetics,” Kim said.
Kim said she thrifts because she wants people to be able to see the creativity of the outfits they can create.
The shop featured items from Harley Davidson, bebe and more.
According to Kim, the shop’s purpose revolves around the feeling of sustainability and buying things that are vintage or have been worn before.
Kim sent each customer home with a note reading, “Hope you love your handpicked pieces! Thanks for supporting my small business! Love, Maddy.”
