RANI CREATIVE
RANI CREATIVE
FASHION & Lifestyle
“At its core, body neutrality is the idea that you can exist without having to think too much about your body one way or another, positive or negative. You can simply exist and be worthy of respect without thinking about your body at all. Or, feeling good about it one day and not as good about it the next.”
A TImELINE OF THRIFTING
AUTHOR: KELSI LEE
Once considered as a shady business, thrifting has now become a $14.4 billion industry. Shops such as Goodwill and Value Village have become hot spots for new, unique clothing picks for your closet. Whether you want to shop more sustainably or preserve the health of your bank account, thrifting has some amazing benefits to the planet and your wallet.
For one, fast fashion has become a booming business filling the closets of many — but it has also raised some questions on what it truly means to shop ethically. Consider this your guide to thrifting as I reflect on its start, the rise of consumerism in North America, the shift to ethical and sustainable fashion, and the flip side of mass thrifting.
1879
First thrift shop opened by Salvation Army in basement of a men's shelter.
1920s
The term junk shop shifts to "thrift shop".
1950s
Consignment shops start to emerge for "wealthier clientele".
2000s-2020
Virtual access to second-hand goods (ex. Depop).
1902
Goodwill opens their first store.
1945
Post-war prosperity in North America leads to increased donating and purging of belongings.
1990s
Emergence of fast fashion. Zara opens in New York.
A TIMELINE OF THRIFTING
Once considered as a shady business, thrifting has now become a $14.4 billion industry. Shops such as Goodwill and Value Village have become hot spots for new, unique clothing picks for your closet. Whether you want to shop more sustainably, or preserve the health of your bank account, thrifting has some amazing benefits to the planet and your wallet.
GOING BACK IN TIME...WITH HEDOUM
Models: Benny Soave (@benny_soave) (he/him) and Deniz Hyo (@deniz_hyo) (she/her)
CREATOR: MALAK FAHMY
CONTRIBUTOR: ROYA ADEL
Malak Fahmy (she/her) has created two lookbooks for her shop, Hedoum. One is inspired by the 70s and the other is inspired by the 90s. Each item of clothing is ethically sourced and will be available in her shop!
Hedoum’s official website: Hedoum
LOOKBOOK
fashion Features
MY LOOK
BY ASHLEY FORST
Ashley Forst has always loved fashion but was never trendy. They grew up in poverty and staying on top of trends was difficult, leading to them getting bullied growing up. They started thrifting because it was all they could afford. As an adult, they thrift for a multitude of sustainable and fashion-related reasons. Moreover, fashion in general has allowed them to explore their identity and gain a better understanding of themselves.
Their submission includes two sets of photos. The first compares a photo taken when they were 15 and recreated more recently. The second includes a photo taken last year and another taken a few weeks ago. In the first photo, they liked the outfit but weren’t comfortable because they felt people may judge them for wearing it. The second photo brings their style full circle: t-shirts, chunky boots, and turtlenecks will always be a staple of theirs.
Instagram: @ashleynikkoleforst
DESIGNER
NASHAAT IMRAN SALIH-BELLO
(SHE/HER)
Nashaat Imran Salih-Bello (she/her) is always looking for new hobbies and skills to enjoy and master; the more random, the better! During the First Lockdown™, having never used a sewing machine, she decided she wanted to learn how to sew. In true Nash fashion, her first piece was this velvet ball gown because go big or go home, right? Now, conjuring the finished product just a few days after the initial idea flourished was satisfying; however, she found that the process itself was incredibly comforting. It revealed this child-like, inquisitive creativity she didn’t think she had and this taught her a valuable lesson — to continue to nurture that inner child. As time has passed, she has found that this is an easy way to hit the reset button in more ways than one; she is able to indulge herself in activities that act as stress relievers while simultaneously appeasing her “young-me” and allowing herself to be creative.
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CUSTOM SHOE DESIGNS
SEHR NURUDDIN
Sehr Nuruddin is an 18-year-old student based in London in the United Kingdom with a Pakistani background. They currently run a shoe customisation business which they started at the beginning of the lockdown period. They had always had an eye for new trends that were circling and they thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get ahead of the game. They initially wanted a pair themselves and thought they would test their creative abilities and customise a pair for fun. After showcasing their work on their social media platforms, the design started to become popular amongst their following on social media and so the business started.
Designing new ideas was definitely a stress reliever in itself as it gave them something to do within the lockdown period; however, this soon became a passion of theirs. Fashion has always been something that they’ve been interested in and they were keen to collate current trends within the designs on their shoes. This business definitely came with complications due to the pressure of creating a product that matched the customer’s exact expectations. Despite this, they were in contact with other shoe custom designers via Instagram which helped them grow as a business as they were able to learn from their experiences. It has been such a rewarding journey starting this business at the age of 17; however, it has also recently been challenging to take on orders whilst undertaking a chemistry degree. They hope to embark on their journey further and continue to embody current trends within their shoe designs.
Instagram: @sehrcustoms
