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BAY GARNETT X OXFAM

LAUNCHES AT

SELFRIDGES LONDON

Words: Chekii Harling

Keen to have a more sustainable relationship with fashion? Look no further than the exclusive Oxfam pop-up at our Selfridges London store, in celebration of Project Earth, our new initiative which explores more planet-friendly ways to shop.

Shop now

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BAY GARNETT X OXFAM

LAUNCHES AT

SELFRIDGES LONDON

Words: Chekii Harling

Keen to have a more sustainable relationship with fashion? Look no further than the exclusive Oxfam pop-up at our Selfridges London store, in celebration of Project Earth, our new initiative which explores more planet-friendly ways to shop.

Shop now

The Oxfam space at Selfridges has been curated by Stylist and self-proclaimed ‘Queen of Thrift’ Bay Garnett, as part of Oxfam's Second Hand September campaign, which encourages us all to avoid buying new clothing for the entire month. Here, we discover the story of Bay Garnett's love of vintage, her favourite vintage treasures from the space and how she styled actor Michaela Coel for this year's campaign. Plus, hit the shop now button to discover our exclusive collection of sustainably crafted T-shirts, created in celebration of the pop-up by artist Fergus Purcell.

A vintage love affair

Bay Garnett is the master of taking pre-loved fashion and blasting it into the uber-style stratosphere, having been a trailblazer for weaving vintage seamlessly within the glossy pages of the world’s most esteemed fashion magazines, from British Vogue to 10 Magazine.

Her status as Thrifter-in-Chief was sealed when she founded the zine Cheap Date in the Noughties, a tongue-in-cheek publication that celebrated the nuances of vintage clothing and the joy of thrift shopping. “I have a real passion for clothing that isn’t new,” she says. “It’s amazing to find original pieces, and I love that I don’t care about trends.”

When Bay met Oxfam 

Teaming up with Oxfam in 2017, Garnett took her passion for pre-loved one step further, styling the radical runway show ‘Fashion Fighting Poverty’. This ground-breaking spectacle – the first of its kind in London Fashion Week’s history – showcased second-hand clothes sourced entirely from Oxfam’s collection. Bay has since been appointed Senior Fashion Adviser at the charity – a match made in second-hand heaven.

Introducing Fergus Purcell’s exclusive collection of pre-loved T-shirts

In celebration of the pop-up, we collaborated with artist Fergus Purcell to create this range of exclusive, earth-conscious T-shirts.

Shop now

Swap new for nostalgia and help the planet

Having spent her life dressing in clothes from past eras, Garnett has a growing awareness that vintage shopping is becoming more than just a niche pastime and is now a firm part of the fashion conscience. Pre-loved is a trend which, she believes, is driven by growing concern for climate change. To lower your environmental fashion footprint, Garnett suggests treating second-hand shopping the same as buying for something new. “This idea of second hand being ‘another thing’ is wrong – it’s just clothing that has been worn previously,” she says.

Bay's top thrift tips

Shopping pre-loved items is an opportunity to discover out-of-the-box pieces that you wouldn’t usually wear, advises Garnett, who has her eye on a vintage Burberry and Hackett trench coat, part of the Selfridges X Oxfam pop-up shop. “Mixing vintage picks with pieces already in your wardrobe will give your look a contemporary feel,” she says. “What I love about second hand is that you can find what you are missing in your wardrobe; it’s great to have an idea of what you are looking for.'' On the hunt for accessories? “Layering jewellery adds another level of richness and reference, while headscarves can add a real flair.”

Oxfam’s Second Hand September

In a bid to encourage us all to reduce the carbon footprint of our wardrobes, Oxfam’s ‘Second Hand September’ campaign encourages us to avoid buying new items of clothing for the entire month of September. 

With writer, actor and I May Destroy You star Michaela Coel as the face of the campaign, it’s not hard to be convinced. An advocate for the sustainable fashion movement, Coel famously made her own dress for the Black Panther premiere in 2018. Garnett, who styled Coel for this month’s campaign, describes her as a “trailblazing maverick – she knew exactly what she wanted to wear. I think she is an amazing woman, so it was very inspiring to work with her on this project. Michaela is who she is, and I think that really comes through in the images.”

Shop now

Visit the Oxfam X Bay Garnett pop-up at the Atrium on 2 at Selfridges London from 7 September to 4 October.

All profits made from the pop-up space will be donated to Oxfam’s work to overcome poverty injustice around the world.

LET'S CHANGE THE WAY WE SHOP

Join us to discover the most exciting design innovations, retail concepts and thought-provoking ideas in sustainability, as we launch a series of new commitments set to radically change our business with the launch of Project Earth.

Discover Project Earth