Shop 2,000 second-hand items this weekend at Archive.
Founded by Ciel Creative’s Randa Salloum and Fall for Local’s Kelly Turner in 2018, Archive has grown from being an influencer clothing sale to a three-day consignment shopping extravaganza held at Vancouver’s Chinese Cultural Centre. And here’s the best news—its next event runs from Friday, February 28th until Sunday, March 1st.
“Archive has evolved in more ways than we would have imagined,” says Salloum. “The idea originally began for influencers, but after the first round of promotion, it was the general public who showed the most interest. So, we cut out the middle man and went straight to the consumers we wanted to shift the consumption perspective with.”
Consignment shopping has seen a huge surge in popularity as the grim stats about how the fashion industry contributes to climate change have been brought to the forefront. In fact, a 2019 study published on ThredUp’s site says that the secondhand apparel market will double in growth over the next five years.
“We’re changing the narrative that shopping consignment is messy, dirty and too much work,” says Salloum. “You can often find items that have never been worn, at an affordable price. By shopping consignment, you are diverting waste from the landfill and lowering your own carbon footprint that leaves a global mark.”
At this weekend’s Archive event, you can expect to find items for all, including children’s clothes. “Circle Back is launching their kid’s consignment business with 400 items, So Over It luxury resale is popping up in Vancouver for the first time, and R Denim is joining us with a curated selection of denim,” says Salloum. “We have brands ranging from fast fashion to designer, and in all sizes. And this is the first event that we are offering food with local, zero waste vendors Susgrainable and Eat The Dishes.”
Archive’s VIP event on the 28th will also feature a “conversation about conscious consumption”, with speakers including sourcing, product development, and quality and production expert Max Feldman, and sustainable plastic researcher Dr. Love-Ese Chile.
If you’re new to shopping consignment, Salloum has a few words of wisdom to guide you through Archive and beyond. “You’ll want to be hands-free,” she says—so don’t forget to bring a fanny pack or cross-body plus a few re-usable shopping bags with you. “Carve out some time to search through the racks, and be open-minded to what you may find.”
For more information about Archive click here.