The UK’s first-of-it’s kind shop, swap and style studio, Secondhand Styling UK, has offically opened in Knutsford – coinciding with Earth Day 2023.
Located on Minshull Street, above children’s boutique Mini & Moi, the grand opening saw more than 50 savvy and sustainability-conscious customers from across Cheshire join creative director and founder of Secondhand Styling UK, Lucy Norris, for a fantastic day of shopping, swapping and styling in the heart of the town centre.
With the aim of making fashion more sustainable, reducing the industry’s harmful impact on the environment and the sheer quantity of great quality, still wearable garments that end up in landfill, Secondhand Styling UK is on a mission to transform the shopping habits of consumers, making second hand more fashionable, desirable and accessible for all.
It has long been Lucy’s dream to open a dedicated Secondhand Styling Studio, and following her appearance on TV’s Dragon’s Den, she took inspiration from her late mum’s advice that ‘there’s nothing to fear but fear itself’ and took the plunge to put down roots for her brand in Knutsford officially opening on Earth Day,
She commented: “I’m passionate about being sustainable and making conscious choices when it comes to fashion and the studio allows me to work with customers educating on the benefits of swapping and shopping second hand, demonstrating that you can refresh your wardrobe and be contemporary and stylish without spending thousands and constantly buying new. Officially opening on Earth Day felt natural as it’s an annual date highlighting the impact of our activities on the planet and the importance of becoming more sustainable in our food, fashion choices and plastic consumption.”
An established stylist with vast experience in the US and UK, Lucy’s studio will be open two days each week by appointment only and will offer personal styling advice reflecting her ethos that ‘you don’t need a million to look a million’. Customers can take items to swap or simply visit the studio to shop Lucy’s carefully curated second hand collection. There is a fee of £25 to swap three items, including dresses, tops and jackets. A service to repair and alter items will also be available, and private swap, style and shop parties can also be arranged.
Alongside the studio, Lucy offers a corporate Secondhand Styling UK experience in the form of her popular pop-up swap shops. Now more than ever, businesses are interested in sustainability and many companies across Cheshire and Manchester have inviting Lucy into their offices to stage a fun, one-of-a-kind sustainable shopping event for their employees where they can bring in their pre-loved garments and swap them for items from Lucy’s carefully curated collection. More details can be found online https://www.secondhandstyling.co.uk/swap-shop
Appointments with Lucy are encouraged, but customers can pop in to the new studio on Fridays and Saturdays, the days the studio is open. Full details can be found on the website and social media channels www.secondhandstyling.co.uk