Words and photos: Dylan Starczak
Is your wardrobe calling for a spring clean? Swap in your tired favourites for timeless second hand designer pieces at Adelaide’s newest East End addition, Goodbyes. Newly housed on Rundle Street, their stores in Melbourne, Canberra, and Hobart, have shown that the burgeoning market for shopping ethically is substantially growing.
Browse through a unique range of secondhand clothing and accessories that you won’t find on the new market. Goodbyes host an array of affordable vintage pieces from the likes of Miu Miu, John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, and COMME des GARÇONS, alongside mass-market brands such as Acne Studios, Marni, Scanlan Theodore, and countless more.
Goodbyes was founded in 2015 by Monique Thomas and Olivia Mangan. At 25 years old, the duo opened their first store in Brunswick where they could see the treasure in secondhand and wanted to push against the idea that newer is better.
“The vision for goodbyes has always been to promote secondhand shopping, with a focus on taking quality pieces that last — rather than being very curated in the brands and labels that we have in store. The main focus of Goodbyes is quality, longevity, and pretty much anything that can offer a good second life,” says marketing manager Julian Bettoli.
Goodbyes, “generally price items around a quarter to a third of the garments retail value.”
“We operate solely on a consignment model. People bring their items in, we select based on quality and condition, the consideration of the community, and what sort of styles people are looking for.”
A report by the Australian Fashion Council found the average Australian buys on average 56 items (or 15kg) of clothing per year. The report funded by the Australian government said the annual cost to consumers was $9.2bn, meaning Australians were paying on average just $6.50 for each item of clothing. Another 2016 report found the cost to Australian clothing retailers for a single T-shirt made with natural fibres — with all workers having been paid a legal wage — was around $15. That cost has risen since the report was published, with the cost of that product being manufactured within Australia rising even higher again.
Julian says Goodbyes, “wants people to make more considered choices when they’re shopping.”
“The current trend is towards fast fashion, which is very accessible, but wasteful. Those pieces don’t have longevity, they just won’t last.”
Two-thirds of clothing sold within Australia are made up of synthetic fibres. Synthetic fibres being made from oil, coal, and other petroleum-based chemicals. With Australia being the world’s largest exporter of coal, buying secondhand clothing instead of new is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint.
Natural fibres are breathable, naturally hypoallergenic, and possess anti-bacterial characteristics. Typically, natural fabrics are self-regulating, meaning they are able to adapt to suit any climate, unlike synthetic fibres that lock in heat and disrupt your body’s natural temperature regulation.
“We prioritise natural fibres at Goodbyes because of the quality and longevity those fabrics offer. A lot of the time, pieces that are produced synthetically obviously have a completely different carbon footprint. Brands that are using those fabrications, are using them because they’re cheap and inexpensive to make, and the quality of the construction comes at a compromise. Some of these synthetic pieces are going to fall apart, but they’ll last forever in landfill.”
One recent survey of young European consumers by Zalando found that 60 percent of shoppers said that supply chain transparency was important to them, but only 20 percent actively researched the topic ahead of their purchase.
By shopping secondhand, consumers can be confident that their purchase is ethical, and you won’t run into somebody in the same outfit.
Goodbyes is a space to break free of the fast fashion trend cycle and freshen up your wardrobe with unique pieces that will last you years to come. Remember to bring in any clothes you’ve had lying around and check out Goodbyes on Rundle Street, and just maybe you’ll find that dream item you’ve been forever searching for too.
Goodbyes: 206 Rundle St, Adelaide 5000
