Research* conducted on behalf of Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, revealed that Queensland consumers have an estimated $2.9 billion worth of clothing hanging in their wardrobes that they do not wear, with the average Queenslander sitting on an estimated $876 (potential resale value) worth of unused fashions.
The data forms part of a new report from Indooroopilly Shopping Centre which reveals the growing importance of ‘sustainable fashion’ for Queensland shoppers. According to the report, more than half of Queenslanders say they value sustainable fashion and items that are ethically made and environmentally friendly, with 44% being prepared to pay more for it, while close to one in ten would pay 50% extra or more. The data also suggests that the cost-of-living crisis is inspiring Queenslanders to become more creative and sustainably savvy, with ‘fashion pooling’ and ‘fashion revamping’ emerging as key SS trends – with more than one in ten considering group purchasing with friends or using the art of design to revamp their existing wardrobes to be on-trend.
Inspired by the research findings and wanting to still bring ‘Big Joy’ to customers, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre launched ‘Project Revamped’ – a free, two-week pop-up fashion and design incubator encouraging shoppers to reconnect with their pre-loved garments and bring them back to life via on-trend alterations.
In partnership with Brisbane sustainable fashion designer, Alice Nightingale, shoppers were encouraged to pair the old with the new by bringing in their favourite clothing items for Alice to revitalise to be on-trend, and then completing the look with something new from Indro’s popular fashion retailers.
Each ‘Project Revamped’ consultation session went for 15 minutes and allowed shoppers to sit down and chat with the designer about the best way to breathe new life into their garments, while talented design students then worked their magic to ‘revamp’ the garments in-centre. Steven Ihm, Centre General Manager at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre said: “We were thrilled to launch ‘Project Revamped’ in partnership with Alice Nightingale, as part of our Spring Summer fashion launch and to inspire shoppers to get a bit more creative and sustainable this season.
“In an effort to reduce fashion waste, our goal was to help reactivate some love for what is already in people’s wardrobes, while also helping them style it with a touch of new season from our amazing retail offer.
“We ultimately wanted to help shoppers feel amazing and on-trend while also doing their part for the environment, and we were incredibly inspired by the customer response. Proof that the concept resonated strongly with shoppers, upon launch the event quickly became booked out and delivered close to 130 design consultations over the two-week timeframe. Over the course of the activation period, the centre achieved an uplift in centre foot traffic as shoppers flocked to take advantage of the incubator and unique design offering. The increased foot traffic also helped achieve an uplift in fashion sales for the month of September, as well as an uplift in total centre sales for the same period. “As a centre we have a strong focus on sustainability and continue our efforts to embed this into every aspect of our operations, and we hope to introduce more sustainability focused events next year,” said Ihm.
Lead designer for the activation, Alice Nightingale said she was inspired to take part in ‘Project Revamped’ and was blown away by the consumer response.
“It was a very busy few weeks as we prepared for and delivered this incredible in-centre design offering, but it was so wonderful to see how engaged shoppers were with the process and their desire to take a more environmentally friendly approach to fashion, while still having lots of fun.
“Fashion is about creativity, expression and people wearing things that make them feel good and we certainly don’t want that to stop,” she said. “Rather, it’s about considering how we shop, wear and care for our items to give them greater lifespans and help reduce landfill – and I applaud Indooroopilly Shopping Centre for their industry leadership with this initiative and I look forward to seeing what they do next in this space.”
* Research was conducted by Pure Profile on behalf of Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, between September 5 and September 8, 2023. The research surveyed 1,001 residents aged 18+ with representation from Brisbane and regional Queensland.
