Co-managers Cristin Waite and Fiona Dodds are thrilled to be leading the team for the event, to be held on Saturday, September 28, from 10am to 5pm.
Ms Waite said the Presbyterian Support Otago charity store, at 169 Princes St, had an enormous collection of pre-loved wedding-related clothing and accessories, including more than 100 wedding dresses, veils, hats, suits, mother-of-the-bride outfits, jewellery and much more.
‘‘So we really are going to be able to transform the store into a wedding wonderland - everyone is very excited about it.’’
About 20 pre-loved wedding dresses will be featured in a wedding-themed fashion show from 2pm to 3pm, with MC Lois Scott and Otago Polytechnic fashion design programme lead Margo Barton on hand to give commentary and share ideas for adapting garments.
‘‘It will be great to hear Margo’s ideas for how to rescue these beautiful dresses and give them another life.’’
The Shop on Carroll team was keen for the store to not only sell affordable pre-loved clothing and goods to raise funds for Presbyterian Support Otago’s community services, but also to serve as a community hub, Ms Waite said.
‘‘We want it to be a space where people can come to make connections and be creative.’’
In keeping with this, the Pre-loved Wedding Extravaganza will also include a vintage candle-making workshop and a jewellery repair workshop. Both will be ticketed events.
The Shop on Carroll Pre-loved Wedding Extravaganza is part of Dunedin’s inaugural Slow Fashion September programme, which aims to highlight the joys of re-wearing, mending and upcycling clothing, and making sustainable purchases.
Slow Fashion September co-ordinator Dunedin City Council waste minimisation officer Melanie Hardiman said the concept evolved from a project to map the city’s 33 pre-loved clothing stores.
‘‘So not only are we encouraging people to look at ways to repurpose their clothes, but we are also aiming to reduce the amount of textiles that are sent to landfill each year,’’ Ms Hardiman said.
Along with Shop on Carroll, the council has teamed up with Stitch Kitchen.
• The recently-completed ‘‘Your Guide to Otepoti Dunedin’s Pre-loved Clothing Stores’’, which will be updated every six months, can be found on the council website: dunedin.govt.nz
BRENDA.HARWOOD @thestar.co.nz
