Wirral fashion designer exhibits collection in charity shop

Nicole Hind hopes to inspire others to embrace pre-loved fashion as she exhibits her collection in the charity shop she used to volunteer in.

Nicole, who recently finished her Master’s degree in Fashion Design at the University of Central Lancashire, put together the collection as part of her third year project, using clothes sourced from the Sense shop at 31 Liscard Way as well as other local charity shops.

The collection being modelled as part of Nicole’s third-year studies (Image: Sense)

After spending a summer volunteering at the national disability charity’s Wallasey shop, she got back in touch with the shop’s manager, Liz MacLellan, to collaborate on this exciting fashion exhibition.

Nicole told the Globe: “I’m really proud of my collection and hope it shows people that upcycling second-hand clothes can create new and unique pieces that fit lots of different styles.

“Buying pre-loved fashion is cheaper, more sustainable and better for the environment, and if you buy from a charity shop like Sense then you’re supporting a great cause too.

“But when it comes to upcycling these pieces, I totally understand it can be daunting for people. I hope displaying this collection will introduce some people to upcycled fashion who might not even have heard of it, and make people consider giving it a go.”

The pieces displayed in the window will not be sold, but Nicole hopes they will draw people into the shop and even encourage people to contact her for advice through her Instagram on bespoke upcycled pieces.

She’ll also be sourcing materials from the Sense shop to upcycle and then sell on her Instagram.

Liz MacLellan, Shop Manager at Sense shop Wallasey, said: “Nicole is a talented young fashion designer whose passion for pre-loved clothes and accessories is shared by all of us here in the shop.

“We sell a range of second-hand clothes, which can be upcycled or worn straight off the hanger.

“We hope by displaying Nicole’s collection in-store, people will want to come inside and find out more about the benefits of buying from charity shops and to find out what’s possible when it comes to reworking these pieces.”