Sustainable fashion deals raise vital funds | Love Your Labels Lock-in | News

The atmosphere was buzzing at our iconic Love Your Labels Lock-in on 26^th September, with 278 shoppers buying a total of 1339 items in just four hours and raising over £23,000 in support of people facing terminal illnesses in their local community.

From 5pm, Priority Entry Ticket holders enjoyed browsing a wide selection of designer and high-end, high-street items, getting their hands on the most sought-after pieces before being joined by more shoppers between 6pm-9pm.

With a choice of ladieswear, menswear, homeware and items for children, people of all ages visited the Sevenoaks High Street Shop to grab excellent bargains, while shopping sustainably and doing their bit to support Hospice in the Weald.

Pre-loved shopping on the rise

“Second-hand clothing is so popular now and events like Love Your Labels are the perfect place to find good pieces. I found so many nice fits, including a Burberry trench coat! It’s such an amazing event with a buzzy atmosphere, I queued to get in because it was so busy when I arrived,” said Ella, who came to the event in search of her favourite brands.

“Hospice in the Weald is an amazing charity, and they do such excellent work for people in the community. They are incredibly caring people, whether you see them in the charity shop or helping patients at the Hospice,” she added.

The event proved to be a success among local fashionistas, families, and general supporters of the Hospice, many of whom regularly purchase items from charity shops, in a bid to avoid fast fashion.

Rhoanne and Stephanie at Love Your Labels

Choosing slow fashion

Rhoanne, who came along with her family, said: “I love a bit of charity shopping, there are so many things here and you can get them for less money than online and it’s also nice to browse and get a few bargains.

“Fast fashion is so accessible now and a lot of people are buying from those stores because they think it’s cheaper, but actually charity shops are cheaper, and they have better quality items anyway.

“There is no point buying something that will last you a short time, you might as well buy a staple piece from a charity shop.”

For many, Love Your Labels offered an opportunity to make a difference by volunteering and supporting the retail team on the night of the event.

Making a difference in multiple ways

Emily, who kindly gave her time to help out, shared: “I came to volunteer, running clothes and other bits and bobs, but I actually picked up a pair of Ugg boots as well! It’s so good here for different designers, I’ve seen a Prada dress and Mulberry bags, so there’s lots of stuff and the money raised goes towards a very special cause.”

“I would encourage everyone to come along to Love Your Labels. It is a busy event, so I would definitely say buy the Priority Entry Ticket for the pre-sale and avoid the queue!”

With a wide range of stock on offer, customers picked up affordable gifts for their friends and family in time for Christmas.

Sustainable presents for less

Samantha Baines, who left the event with multiple bags of fashionable goodies, said: “Shopping pre-loved is so important and this Christmas I’d recommend everyone try and get a few presents that are second-hand. You will reduce waste, do good for the planet, and find some unique pieces that no one else will be wearing while having fun in the process.

“If you’ve missed Love Your Labels this year, definitely stick it in your diary for next year, it’s one of the key designer second-hand shopping events in the UK, and I’ll be there, so I’ll see you then!”

Sharon Gills, Head of Retail, concluded: “It was an amazing event with so many customers enjoying the evening, there was a real buzz with everyone looking for designer brands amongst all the fantastic stock we had donated. Love Your Labels showed how sustainable we can be as individuals, with more and more people buying from charity shops. A massive thank you to everyone who came along.”