The rise of retro fashion

[00:00.40] Do you take care about what you wear?

[00:03.32] Some people are very fashion-conscious, carefully selecting the clothes they buy and how they dress.

[00:10.49] Fashionistas always want to be seen in the latest designer gear.

[00:15.27] But that trend is changing as retro or vintage clothing is becoming a popular and often cheaper alternative.

[00:24.30] Of course, ‘vintage’ clothing is really second-hand clothing, worn before but given a new lease of life.

[00:33.60] The fashion industry has rebranded this stuff to make it look trendy and possibly give it a higher price tag.

[00:41.83] Whereas we may have seen an old faded pair of jeans or a gingham-patterned dress sold at a jumble sale, now there are boutique and pop-up shops dedicated to the stuff.

[00:55.12] And in the UK, one supermarket chain has started selling second-hand clothes in some of its stores under the brand, Preloved Vintage Wholesale.

[01:06.54] Its managing director Steve Lynam told the BBC: “The more people that buy into the circular economy and shop vintage and retro, the bigger impact we will have on climate change.”

[01:20.61] Certainly, buying vintage does prolong the life of clothing.

[01:24.86] It cuts down on waste and helps to reduce the environmental damage caused by manufacturing new clothes.

[01:32.83] It’s also led to the rise of retro-fashion – items that your mum or dad wore decades ago that now look ‘cool’ again!

[01:41.60] It’s a big thing with younger people and has been helped by the rise of platforms like Depop and Vinted, which sell ‘worn’ clothes online.

[01:51.16] Ianina Lucca from Depop told the BBC: “The new generation is… looking to make choices that reduce their impact on the environment, with 77% of Gen Z saying that their biggest environmental concern being that they want their choices to reduce waste.”

[02:11.88] Another popular way of buying old clothes is in a vintage kilo sale.

[02:16.93] People pick what they want and then pay according to weight rather than per item.

[02:23.30] Some items are upcycled – re-modelled or re-worked by adding embroidery, patches and other additions.

[02:32.86] But however these second-hand clothes are worn or re-designed, the sustainability of vintage fashion means it’s here to stay for some time to come.