The Innisfil Fashion Market was back for a second edition on July 9 after hosting a successful inaugural event a month prior.
Hosted outside the Stroud Innisfil Community Center, the market had 66 vendors ranging from vintage clothes to new designer clothes, and everything in between. The word had no doubt spread through social media marketing, as vendors in this market came from areas such as Newmarket, Barrie, Essa and Bradford, and one even came from Montreal.
“It’s really about merging the new and the old,” explained event organizer Georgia Allison, from Australia.
Markets for pre-loved and recycled fashion often occur in the Land Down Under, so it’s clear that Allison’s influence stems from her experiences back home.
The success of the event is manifested not only by the presence of 300 people, but also by the sales of the vendors.
“People come here to clearly shop. The Mommy Attic has been doing deals for years and this was its best ever,” Allison. “And the Good Wax Candle launched their summer fragrance line here and sold out within an hour.”
But these events aren’t just about sales; it’s about connecting with other people and businesses.
One vendor described it as “a friendly, well-organized event, definitely a sustainable outlet for fashion.”
Another added: “It’s my first experience so I’m new to this but it’s great to connect with people and there’s a lot of exposure.”
First market participants, both sellers and buyers, have returned to this one with new ideas, some collaborating, some even starting their own fashion lines and side businesses. Allison herself has teamed up with one of the vendors to plan a new event, which will be a cocktail market night where local businesses can just network.
Allison is a full-time social media manager, which made it easy for her to promote this event to the public, and it was streamlined through her company called The Collection. She has a passion for planning and enjoys bringing people together with her events in hopes of creating inspiration for others, as well as amazing memories.
The long-term vision is broad, but the main goal for her and her partner, Justin, is to bring exciting new events to Ontario, including unique accommodations and Airbnbs. “Innisfil’s fashion market is just the gateway to the collection and really gives birth to it. We want to do a lot more events like this, but it’s going to take time to get there. One step at a time,” she said.
“Hopefully the more people who know about it and the more the dates, that will allow us to get bigger and bigger. It’s getting such a big pull and we just want to expand it.
Don’t miss the next Innisfil Fashion Market on August 6, followed by two more in the fall.
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