5 minutes with: Cassie from Brisbane Clothing Exchange

My girlfriends will tell you that I am obsessed when it comes to clothes. They will also tell you that I regularly bore them with trying to organise a clothes swap party so that I can update my wardrobe.

Little did I know that in Brisbane there is a lovely lady called Cassie and as Brisbane Clothing Exchange she organises these events for everyone! Now you don’t have to be limited to the styles (and sizes) of your friends, you can swap your clothes with anyone.

How does it work? You raid your wardrobe for gorgeous things that are in good condition, you show up to the Brisbane Clothing Exchange event, pay $25-$30 (depending on the event), check in your clothes and exchange them for a token and then, most importantly, YOU SHOP! Now if that doesn’t get you excited to clean your wardrobe then what will?

I asked Cassie some questions about the Brisbane Clothing Exchange and how she got started, I hope you enjoy the interview.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do

First and foremost, I’m a mother. My job description includes things like – negotiator, team player, financial planner, shift worker, courier, cleaner etc etc. Why on earth I dared start my own business is beyond me! But, my role as CEO (Clothing Exchange Organiser) for Brisbane Clothing Exchange is very fun and rewarding. I love it and have been wanting to open a regular organised public swap for ages!

2. When did you go out on your own and when did you launch your business?

I started thinking of doing this seriously in about April 2009. I then did a lot of research, and tried to get my finances in line, so our website finally launched in December 2009 and our first event was in January 2010.

3. What made you choose this direction and what inspired you to start the business?

I have been swapping privately with my girlfriends for years! We’ve all had loads of fun doing so and I eventually thought that if we all enjoyed it so much then so would the rest of Brisbane. Then when I realised there was no regular fashion swap meet available in Brisbane, I decided to do it myself.

4. What did you do before that?

In the past I was an Event Manager which made the transition a lot easier for me than it would for others. I have a background in running large scale events for big companies so I was lucky I had those skills on my side.

5. Tell us about your process in organizing an event, what do you have to do / think about?

OMGoodness! You have to think about sooooo much! Is the venue the right size? Do I need catering? How many people are coming? Are all the guests briefed? Have I got enough equipment? How many port-a-loos do we hire!! The list is endless. Luckily, with my background in events management, I have long thorough lists I stick too when planning a swap.

6. How would you describe your client base, who are they and what do they look for in an exchange event?

Our target market is fashion-conscious ladies between 18-60 years. This is a very broad market so it is sometimes hard to figure out where to start tackling the media. We have found that the younger girls come along with the hope that some of the older women will bring vintage pieces they can snap up. And the old women come along to get out of their box and try to swap for some different fashion. The best thing about a swap is that you rarely (never, in my case) get two items that are the same. It encourages people to try something different.

7. What or who inspires you? Whose style / work / talent do you admire and why?

I am inspired by art, more than anything. I love the art nouveau and art deco periods and I can appreciate beautiful architecture. I love vintage advertising (hence, my website and BCE branding) and fashion of the 40s and 50s. I don’t think I could get away with wearing it, but I’m happy to admire from afar. On of my style icon would be Dita Von Teese, for that reason. But I love classic beauty and fashion too – looks that don’t date are priceless.

8. How do you market your events, what marketing approach is working best for you?

I rely a lot on word-of-mouth but have obviously had to pay for some advertising to get me started. I also write a bucket-load of media releases each week with the hope that some publication will print something for us. Because it’s a company I run by myself, I (unfortunately) don’t have a big budget, let alone a separate one for advertising.

9. How would you describe the Brisbane creative scene? Is Brisbane supportive of your work?

We’re on a couple of the government supportive websites like ourbrisbane.com and we’ve had some support from local fashion magazines and event companies so I can’t say I’m not getting help…but more would be nice! I also believe that Brisbane is becoming more of a cosmopolitan city, like Melbourne and Sydney, each day. But I will be interested to see if the Brisbane scene will support a regular fashion swap-meet and which of our swaps take off.

10. What would you like to see Brisbane do better, what would you like more of?

Hmmm..I’ll get back to you.

11. Favourite piece that you own? Who is it by and why is it your favourite?

Easy – I own two dresses that I LOVE to wear! One is my Rebecca Thompson Mexican Caftan Dress and the other is a Karen Millen emerald-green and royal-blue boat neck pencil dress. RT just has a unique style that I am totally into – I would wear all her stuff if I could afford it! KM is just pure femininity and beauty. She fits me perfectly and is the only designer I would feel comfortable about buying online. Both dresses are really for occasions but I find any excuse I can to wear them. On a daily basis, I love my Birkenstocks (I have three pairs), tailored shorts and nice t-shirt/singlet. In the cooler months I tend to opt for maxi-dresses with boots.

12. Do you have a saying or a motto that you go by?

‘RELAX’. I’m an impatient perfectionist so this is my mantra! However, I agree with YSL when he said, “Fashions fade, style is eternal”.

13. Finish this sentence – Creativity is important because…

…it differs me, from you, and the next person. Creativity is personal and relative – no two creative minds are exactly alike and that is why we have great and unique artists, architects, fashion designers etc.

14. What are you working on next?

Tomorrow night is our first ‘Designer Addiction’ swap. On March 18th we host our second ‘365’ swap, but this time at The Fox Hotel. There are also some one-off style swaps planned for the future in conjunction with other charities like the Leukaemia Foundation of QLD. So keep your eye out for a vintage swap and also a shoe swap!

Next event:

Tags: brisbane fashion, clothes swap, clothing exchange, Fashion, vanja stace