When One (Wardrobe) Door Closes Another Opens.
Susannah Slatter is a champion of pre-loved fashion, leader of Tasmania’s frugal fashion movement and the founder of Hobart’s Overdressed Market. Fiercely passionate about providing an affordable and ethical retail option for Tasmanian women, Susannah recognised a gap in the market (pun intended) and created Tasmania’s largest preloved fashion market. The popularity of shopping preloved fashion has increased substantially over the last five years with consumers more aware than ever of the conditions under which their clothing is made. Op-shopping is “trending” and thanks to programmes such as the ABC’s War On Waste, Tasmanian’s are becoming more aware of the impact that fast fashion is having on our environment. Overdressed Market has created a strong community of ethical shoppers and stallholders, encouraging them to breathe new life into their wardrobes by shopping second hand. With all of that said it’s now time for Susannah and Overdressed to embark on a new set of adventures in recycled fashion.
After five years of disrupting the fast fashion industry in Tasmania Susannah is excited to be taking on new challenges and broadening the scope of the Overdressed brand. As an avid second-hand shopper and lover of Overdressed (every “designer” item in my wardrobe is preloved and most likely shopped from an Overdressed market) I was disappointed to hear that Overdressed’s upcoming Fashion Extravaganza would be its last.
When I quizzed Susannah on her decision to pull back from the market scene her answer was candid, relatable and full of wisdom. “If we want to get very real, basically I’ve given myself permission to focus on what I love most about preloved fashion – shopping, modelling, promoting and assisting others to explore the possibilities within this space. As it turns out, I don’t need to run a market to do that anymore. I can aim higher, and I am.” she said.
And that, dear readers, is what it sounds like when a businesswoman backs herself.
“While on the one hand I’m saddened that the Overdressed Market is coming to an end, I’m also very proud of what I’ve achieved and now it’s time for a new (preloved!) challenge.” Susannah’s passion for recycled fashion is stronger than ever and she is looking forward to devoting more time to collaborating with key figures in the preloved fashion industry. With such a passionate disposition and an unwavering belief in herself, Susannah will undoubtedly continue to be a key voice of influence in the preloved fashion community.
Follow Susannah’s journey: