Rewrite:
Pre-loved Outfits are the Latest Trend for South Asian Weddings
As wedding venues are hosting more and more South Asian weddings, sometimes with a hefty price tag attached, the BBC Asian Network has been exploring how people are opting for a more sustainable, cost-effective approach to those dazzling clothes. Read on to find out more about the ‘pre-loved’ trend and South Asian outfits for the big day.
Save Money with Second-Hand South Asian Outfits
Anoli Mehta has experienced the challenge of purchasing multiple South Asian outfits for a long line of weddings. “At the end of the year I was sitting on 10 outfits that realistically I wasn’t going to wear again,” she says. Now, she is saving patrons thousands of dollars through her second-hand Asian outfits service, providing a new lease of life to clothes that have been gathering dust in the back of wardrobes.
Is Pre-loved More Sustainable?
The recent uptick in pre-loved clothing has been a boom for fashion vendors who deal in re-sale, yet some question the idea that renting attire is any more sustainable. After all, transportation is a notable emissions source in the UK, with billions of parcels delivered each year, adding to the problem of online orders.
Anoli believes that pre-loved reduces much more than the environment collateral of a South Asian outfit; it also cuts down the time-consuming and expensive process of purchasing full-price attire. “Many people end up flying to India or Pakistan to buy them, which has a huge impact on the environment,” she adds.
From Closet to Cash with the Help of Pre-loved Platforms
In some cases, however, sellers even manage to recoup their original costs by reselling those ‘one-time-wearing’ South Asian outfits. Amna Saeed recalls her own experience turning to pre-loved to rid her collection of bridal lehngas, which she deemed “too special to get rid of completely”. Through a specialised South Asian fashion platform, Amna was able to make over half of what she originally paid for it—eight years after her wedding day.
Connecting People with Platforms Built on South Asian Basis
Mohammed Ali was inspired to create his own platform, Dazzle & Bloom, following his own wedding that left him with a selection of clothes he couldn’t bear to part with entirely. “Initially we started off by looking for a platform where we can sell our Asian clothes and nothing was really made for us,” he says. He believes that cultural-specific websites stimulate customers to think more carefully about sustainability and the cost of living, and that people are now embracing the idea of extending outfits’ lives beyond single use.
The Resolution: Take the Pre-loved Plunge
Second-hand isn’t new. It’s a concept that has been around forever. Nevertheless, it is being viewed with a fresh eye in the world of South Asian fashion. Anoli found that “it was humbling seeing mothers turning up with their daughters and asking: ‘why haven’t we done this before?'”
Pre-loved clothes, while not perfect from a sustainability perspective, can offer a less wasteful alternative to splurging on a new outfit for each and every South Asian wedding. Whether you’re considering buying or selling, put a pre-loved twist on your Asian outfits and make a contribution to saving the environment and your wallet.
Luxurious Looks at a Fraction of the Cost: Get the Pre-loved Look at South Asian Weddings
Sparkle and Shine without Breaking the Bank: How to Get Pre-loved Outfits for South Asian Weddings
Dazzling Designs with a Sustainable Twist: Discover Pre-loved Outfits for South Asian Weddings
Glamorous Gowns for Less: Try Pre-loved Outfits at South Asian Weddings for Real Value
