Students at the University of New Mexico worked with social online clothing marketplace Depop to set up a pop-up clothing market featuring sustainable fashion for students and community members on Friday.
The event, organized by UNM Depop Campus manager Thrift 66 Vintage, consisted of around 30 vendors selling vintage clothing on Vassar Drive near Central Campus.
Many vendors acquired their items from thrift stores, yard sales, other online sellers, garage sales, family and friends and even from their own closets in the case of some items that they’re ready to part with.
Depop offers a platform for users to sell second-hand clothing and other used items, and operates globally as both an app and a web platform, working with local ambassadors to host pop-up market events.
Thrift 66 Vintage is run by Riley Brennan, who said that he and his managing partner Luke Montoya are the student ambassador team for Depop in Albuquerque. Brennan said they work with other Depop resellers from around the city to organize pop-up markets similar to the one held Friday.
“I believe having unique clothing to express yourself is so important as an individual, being able to curate pieces for my customers that won’t be worn or owned by anyone else is something I take great pride in,” Bennan said. “I think as a whole in society, consumerism has run rampant, and being able to combat that with what little we can do goes a long way in having a sustainable culture for years to come.”
Multiple vendors said that sustainable fashion can be a time-consuming hobby to get into. Some vendors often search for hours at a time through sales, stores and bins to find the perfect piece of clothing, along with photographing and listing it online.
Pop-up vendor Arain Castillo said that they and other sellers were there for the love of sustainable fashion, and a “good find.”
“You never know what you’re gonna find at the end of the day,” Castillo said. “I had a bucket list of stuff and all of a sudden I just came across it.”
Vendor Caroline Butler said each vendor has their own style and methods of finding pieces they want to sell.
“I think that I’m still learning my style because every seller has their own aesthetic,” Butler said.
These events are hosted sporadically throughout the year with a goal of having one every month, according to Thrift 66. With temperatures cooling down, the event brought out many students and community members to interact with vendors making it one of the largest this year, Brennan said.
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Trinity Ayers is a freelance photographer for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at photo@dailylobo.com and on X @DailyLobo
