Around this time last year a big group of Beijing’s fashionistas gathered together at East Beijing Hotel for an annual night of drinks, food, and fashion – and best of all, it was all for charity.
Now let’s be honest, Beijing can get a bit dreary in the winter so we love an excuse for a for a good party. The annual clothing drive started by Rebecca Archer is almost here. Inspired by a clothing auction her cousin held in New Zealand, Archer decided to hold clothing auctions as a fun way of clearing out her closet, hosting a fabulous party, and doing some good all at the same time.
Archer shared a great tip about her evolving fashion; “Sometimes I love an item of clothing that doesn’t appear to be my style, or seems a bit out of my comfort zone. I realized that if I made myself wear it three times, it would either turn from a strange piece of clothing to a wardrobe staple, or I would realize I was still very uncomfortable in it. Then I would return it to the next clothes auction.”
This year’s event will be held at East Beijing Hotel on November 23 starting at 7pm. Last year the group raised over RMB 120,000 at various auctions held in people’s homes throughout the year, and this year the group aims to beat their previous record.
The Clothing Auction Network Is Built on Three Key Concepts:
Community – Strong friendships have formed between the women as they have bonded regularly over clothes, wine and food. New people are always welcome to join in the community, with many women saying they only had to attend one event to become an “addict”. Shopping is way more fun with friends, especially over wine, where you can get honest feedback about how things look and what suits you. The auctioneers running the event are able to get the laughs going, making for super enjoyable evenings.
Charity – All clothing is donated by participants, and then auctioned off with 100 percent of proceeds being donated to charity, with the leftover clothing either being upcycled or donated to charity.
Sustainable Fashion – Buying secondhand clothing is a sustainable solution to the environmental problem caused by the fashion industry. Many women suffer from having wardrobes full of clothes they have purchased that don’t fit, don’t look right, or that they just don’t want anymore. Bringing these clothes along to an Auction gives the clothes a second chance to go to a new home. Many of the items at the events have been circulating through the Network for four years, and have had several homes as people wear them for a season, then pass them on.
Tickets to this year’s auction will go on sale soon. For more information on Clothing Auctions, or if you would like to become a part of this incredible community, add Rebecca on WeChat (becstarnz).
Photos: Rebecca Archer
