recycled outfit
A fashionista who turns charity shop finds into stylish outfits says her wardrobe is 90 per cent pre-loved – and has made $40k selling on her recycled clothes.
Maddison Gooch, 28, taught herself to sew at aged 12 and has always had a passion for fashion.
She studied fashion merchandising at Western Kentucky university but struggled to find a job after graduating.
After a stint as a veterinary technician she got back into her love of clothes in 2020 and started sharing the clothes she had transformed from thrift stores, charity shops and from Facebook market place.
Maddison alters $10 baggy tops and tapestry to create fashionable two pieces – which she sells on for around $100 – depending on the item.
She keeps lots of her designs for herself and said her wardrobe is 90 per cent pre-loved.
Maddison, a design and content creator, from Louisville, Kentucky, said: “When I was younger I was always drawing fashion sketches.
“I taught myself to sew aged 12.
“I’m showing people they can upcycle their clothes.
“At least 90 per cent of my closet is second hand.
“People say I get lucky at thrift stores. But if you go multiple times a week you’ll find stuff.
Maddison has always loved making her own clothes – after sewing her first dress aged 14.
She became passionate about sustainable fashion when she learnt about the ethics surrounding the industry on her university course.
She said: “I realised how bad the textile industry was at recycling.”
After graduating Maddison found it tough to break into the industry and spent three years working in at a vets before finding her way back to fashion.
She said: “I fell back into fashion.
“It’s my passion.”
She starting selling her upcycled creations, made from second hand clothes, through her Instagram before launching her website in January 2022.
Maddison began focusing on distressing jeans and shorts but now makes dresses, tops and jumpers from charity finds.
She has a budget of $10 to $20 on an item and spends two to five hours transforming each piece before keeping it herself or selling it on.
Maddison said: “I do stuff by eyeballing it.
“Everything I make is one of one.”
She keeps up to date with trends and likes to recreate outfits she spots her favourite celebrities wearing.
Maddison said: “I’m very into pop culture.
“Kim Kardashian and Kourtney have been wearing vintage jeans so I remade a similar pair.”
Maddison loves upcycling jeans and one of her favourite outfits is a black dress which she made from an oversized t-shirt – before gifting to a relative.
She sells on most of her one-of-a-kind clothes – pricing custom tops at $150, and shirts at $75 to $120.
Maddison said: “I love when I go to a bar and someone says ‘I love your jeans where did you get them?’ and I can say I made them.
“I can make someone out of anything.”
Maddison goes to the charity shop at least once a week and has now taken her business full time – making $40k from her upcycled outfits.
She hopes to inspire others to shop more sustainably or learn to upcycle their own clothes.
