A GENDER NEUTRAL vintage shop has celebrated a successful launch after opening its doors to the public.
Stay in Your Lane Vintage in Brighton’s North Laine, aims to offers its customers an alternative to fast fashion with its preloved and non-gendered clothing.
Becci Thackray, director and founder, said her shop will be a safe-space where everyone, no matter their gender identity, can feel “comfortable.”
She said: “It ought to be possible to buy cool clothes without adding to environmental damage or compromising your values. The future of fashion is slow not fast.
“My goal is to create a space where everyone can find great clothing without contributing to fast fashion waste and be a safe space where all humans can feel comfortable to be themselves.
“So, at Stay in Your Lane there will no separation in clothing genders. If it fits and makes you feel fabulous then this piece of clothing is made for you.”
As well as having a passion for the LGBT community, Stay in Your Lane also has an environmental ethos.
The brand is using social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok to promote its vintage, gender neutral and sustainable fashion message.
Becci, 25, says she was inspired by the “huge explosion” in online retailing of upcycled fashion items – the process through which old and unwanted clothing is transformed to create a product of a higher quality.
She said: “It’s time retail changed. Depop and Vinted are providing a real challenge to fast fashion sites. Now that trend is coming to the world of in person shopping in Brighton. It’s time we change.”
Online marketplaces such as Depop and Vinted, which specialise in selling secondhand clothing, both enjoyed a boost in sales during lockdown.
The boom in the sales of second-hand clothing has coincided with a rise in demand for gender-neutral clothing and items that allow people to express their chosen gender identity.
In November 2020, Vogue Magazine said the future of retail is “genderless” and praises celebrities such as pop star Harry Styles for using fashion to “challenge” gender norms.
Last year, Harry and a team from Vogue trekked up to the top of Seven Sisters for a photoshoot.
The former One Direction star donned a range of outfits on the cliff top, wearing items such as a mini sky-blue Gucci bag, a ruffled ball gown and a kilt and blazer combination as he posed for the camera.
