Case Study – Second Hand September Fashion Show
“BY BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER WHO ARE INTERESTED IN REUSE AND SUSTAINABILITY,
WE WILL EXPLORE THE SECOND-HAND SECTOR’S IMPACT AND HOW WE CAN GROW
THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN AND AROUND OUR TOWN”
ANN CAMPBELL, DUNOON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST.
Second Hand September is an annual Oxfam initiative, encouraging us to “take a
stance against the impact of fast fashion by shopping second hand” and dressing
for the world we want to see.
In 2024, the indomitable Dunoon Community
Development Trust took this as inspiration to build a rich four-week programme of events for the town. The TSI’s Lauren Martin and Janis Marshall Reilly attended the launch event – where conversations ranged from ideas for nappy libraries to youth training, and started to inform the Development Trust’s survey on Dunoon’s reuse community and circular economy. This – as with all the local Second Hand September events – was part of the Trust’s ongoing programme of thematic community engagement, supporting the development of a
Local Plan Plan for Dunoon and Kirn.
Janis (Cowal and Bute’s Third Sector Support Advisor) also attended Too Good To Waste, an online evening talk with social enterprise experts from across Scotland, including Jamie Joyce from ACT’s rural bike enterprise reCycle, Sam Moir from Merry-Go-Round Glasgow and local Social Enterprise Academy facilitator Hannah Clinch of Tacit Tacit.
Also on offer were in-person Make-do-and-mend workshops and an adventure into the mysteries of what happens to the items we take to our local recycling centres via a Tip Talk with RENEWI.
Meanwhile, as the month of events unravelled, local teams were busy scouring Dunoon’s charity shops, threading together winning outfits for the £20 fashion challenge. 10 teams of all ages and backgrounds had entered and been given £20 each to demonstrate the alchemy that is combining and upcycling pre-loved items to create fun, unique and eye-catching style.
The teams then came together towards the end of the month to strut their stuff on the catwalk at the community Fashion Show in Dunoon’s Queen’s Hall. As well as applauding the creativity of the teams and models, attendees browsed stalls selling second hand goods and enjoyed light refreshments.
The Fashion Show was MC’d by Janis Marshall Reilly who, along with everyone present, was wowed by the innovative outfits on show.
An uplifting and inspiring event, co-ordinated by a Development Trust demonstrably determined to ‘bring people together, share information, build connections, encourage collaboration and develop a local place plan’ informed by the people who live, work and Volunteer in and around Dunoon.