Lucy Norris, from Altrincham, has launched Secondhand Styling UK, a sustainable fashion venture that aims to transform the shopping habits of consumers and make secondhand ‘fashionable’ and accessible for all.
Lucy’s muse for the business is her mum, Alison, who as a single parent had limited resources and out of necessity dressed Lucy in secondhand clothing for much of her childhood. Alison’s ability to source secondhand items that could be up-cycled so that they looked stylish, creating designer inspired looks, kick started Lucy’s passion for the pre-loved scene.
In 2021, Alison was diagnosed with cancer and given less than 12 months to live. It was at this devasting time that Lucy knew she had to turn her passion project into a business, ensuring her mum’s spirit and skill lived on.
Following an investment of over £50,000, Lucy will celebrate the launch of Secondhand Styling UK and unveil her vision with fashion-conscious consumers by hosting a week-long pop-up swap shop, on George Street in Altrincham, starting on Monday 28th February.
Lucy will be on hand to educate on the benefits of swapping clothes, highlighting how it can reduce your carbon footprint, and share her top tips and expert styling advice.
With 360 tonnes of reusable clothes thrown in the bin annually, Lucy is on a campaign to save them from going to landfill and her ultimate aim for the business is to create a community of like-minded individuals, encouraging them to regularly revamp their style from season to season without being wasteful.
Over the course of the next three years, Lucy hopes to build up this community, expanding across the North West so that she can offer more portals for her members to swap, shop and style.
Lucy says: “Everything my mum has taught me about fashion is ingrained in all that I produce, and I want to share that knowledge with a community of fashion-minded individuals.
“The insight and experience I have from working in the fashion industry, combined with my understanding of consumer trends, drives me and I am dedicated to making fashion accessible for all.
“I lived and worked in the US for a long time and when I returned to the UK, I only had one suitcase with me. I had to build up my wardrobe from scratch and did this by sourcing high quality secondhand pieces. I want to show that fashion on a budget can be fun, stylish and good for the environment.”
Lucy spent over 15 years in the US in entertainment working as a TV presenter for fashion and beauty brands. For every appearance she self-styled her outfits and always opted for secondhand. She moved into fashion journalism and has covered New York, Milan, Paris and London Fashion Weeks. She is currently the Red Carpet host for forward-thinking fashion platform, Fashinnovation.
Lucy concludes: “The pre-loved scene has not always been trendy. It’s getting there slowly, but I’d really like to improve its perception. By sharing my authentic tips, advice, insight and resources, my members can style secondhand and look fantastic! Together we can re-home clothes and keep them out of landfills.”
