From reselling sustainable second-hand clothing in her college apartment to creating a flourishing small business, University alumna Mia Mangialardi is a notable face of the new clothes-selling frontier.
Mangialardi graduated in May 2023 with a degree from AHS, and has since been pursuing her master’s degree in speech pathology at Elmhurst University. Since founding her business in July 2022, she has sold over 2,000 items.
“I started off buying and selling products I found interesting,” Mangialardi said. “I used apps like Depop and then made my way to Instagram which allowed me to build more relationships with clientele and repeat customers.”
Mangialardi operates online under the name @poolroomtrends from a variety of platforms, selling hand-picked products on Instagram, Depop, Curtsy, Poshmark and Mercari — the latter four being a variety of social media platforms designed for resale.
“I actually store all of my clothes in a billiard-style room in my house,” Mangialardi said, giving context to her online name. “It’s something that is authentic to myself but also unique, and I found it easy to work with that aesthetic and implement it into my business.”
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Mangialardi first expanded outside of her online realm after seeing a poster in a University library for a thrift event hosted by the clothing brand Phoenix.
Phoenix is a program that collaborates with local high schoolers in the Champaign-Urbana community. It works to “teach them applicable sustainable fashion and graphic design skills, provide them opportunities in business and entrepreneurship and develop their passions professionally,” according to its mission statement.
“I messaged them right away,” Mangialardi said. “The next morning I packed my bags and went to the thrifting event. Then from there, I was introduced to the Circular Fashion Expo.”
The Circular Fashion Expo is an event held once a semester at the Siebel Center for Design and hosted by The Fashion Network, a University RSO.
Mangialardi’s business has continued to bring her back to the C-U area at least twice every semester.
“Luckily I had some attention down at U of I that kept me coming back,” Mangialardi said. “It’s something I really look forward to every semester, and I’m already planning for the next ones.”
Mangialardi focuses on the resale of staples from Aviator Nation, Skims, Free People and other popular clothing brands. Looking forward, she is interested in expanding to personal styling and more in-person sales.
“Since being home I’ve tried a couple of pop-ups, and I think a storefront would be an interesting route to take,” Mangialardi said. “I think it would be great for the customer and to diversify my clientele.”
Beyond her entrepreneurial goals, she is passionate about sustainability in fashion and the importance of environmental awareness as a consumer.
“The foundation of my business stems from sustainability,” Mangialardi said. “All the clothing I’m sourcing is either thrifted clothes that would end up in a landfill or overstock that can no longer be sold in stores.”
Mangialardi also works hard to limit avoidable waste by asking her family and friends to save the packaging from their online orders. She then repurposes the boxes and mailers, using them to ship her products rather than purchasing them brand new.
“The trend cycle is moving so quickly,” Mangialardi said. “One day something will be popular and the next day it’ll be over and done with. This is what contributes to fast fashion and having all these clothes end up in landfills. The trend cycles are so quick.”
When it comes to building a brand, Mangialardi believes in the importance of building relationships with customers as a marketing strategy, a piece of advice she learned from her dad.
“My major advice would be to take risks. It’s hard to stand out, especially when you’re in resale and starting a small business, so I say take risks with what comes natural to you. Don’t go off what others say,” Mangialardi said.
Mangialardi will be back on campus this semester once again for the Circular Fashion Expo, along with various pop-up thrift events held throughout the community.
