Fashion. The word steals out of the lips, fierce and feisty, as if it couldn’t be stopped—not even by world hunger. But this pervasiveness isn’t always so welcome. Local band Radioactive Sago Project would know, they named their last album T*ngina Mo Andaming Nagugutom sa Mundo Fashionista Ka Pa Rin.
While some of us simpler dressers revel in the thought of those page six regulars finally succumbing to the economic drop, these fashionistas have learned to be resourceful as they are artful.
Some refer to this shopping alternative as vintage. Others insist that outfits have more meaning as “pre-loved” items. Then there’s the even rarer few who call it contributing to cause.
The Causemopolitan
Chloé bags, Chanel scarves, and Ferragamo shoes hide in an underground shop tucked in between a house and a tambayan-slash-carinderia that’s a 5-minute walk away from the Gilmore station.
Causemopolitan (Causemo, for short) is the pay-it-forward business of three flight attendant friends Vivien Santiago, Meko Chua, and Vina Reyes.
What sets Causemo apart from those mothball-reeking vintage shops sprinkled all over Cubao and Makati? “We actually personally know the former owners of these clothes,” says Meko, “at sigurado kaming buhay pa sila (and we’re sure they’re still alive).”
Freaky jokes aside, Causemo is one of its kind in the local vintage scene. Inspired by socially-involved flea markets in Vancouver, these three ladies decided to funnel the excesses of their quick-turnover wardrobes into something both profitable and philanthropic.
For the rest of their airline crew, it was an attractive proposition—they could make room in their closets for incoming trends, make money out of the old clothes going out, and make the less-fortunate more fortunate in the process. By October 2007, the Causemo ladies decided they had enough variety and character to their selection, and finally opened shop.
The humble store itself is a hidden treasure on a typical concrete Manila street. At the entrance, Causemo customers are greeted by an ensemble of dolled-up dummies and vintage props, setting the shopping mood as they descend the short staircase leading into the fashionista’s treasure trove.
The walls are frescoed with 50’s ladies in their best outfits, and the life-size mirror at the back is adorned with an antique framed photo and its white draperies. But not all ukay-ukays are as well-decorated, nor as permanent.
UK in the ADMU
Closer to home are the annual ukay-ukay fundraisers of organizations such as Kaingin and Speed. Both are held within campus, often in the Kostka Extension, as well as in garage sales of member’s houses for Speed. Although the regular customers are the university staff, there’s also the occasional student who manages to find a cute top here or a quirky bag there.
“There are kuyas and manongs who like to make drastic bargains,” shares Kaingin Finance Officer Luigi Marcelino. “Usually, the shirts cost 50 bucks. They [say] it’s expensive and try to bargain to make it 10 bucks.”
Kaingin has been turning members’ unwanted clothing into a financial backup for projects since the org was founded 27 years ago. This year, they will have a total of three sales, with proceeds going into the school supplies of the 293 tutees and 112 tutors of Kaingin.
“The excess amount of the proceeds is used to fund other projects of the organization,” says Luigi, “like the Kaingin Week, [which is] Kaingin’s flagship project.”
Speed, on the other hand, holds its Sprummage to fulfill the annual wish list of their charity areas—The Center for Children with Special Needs, Child’s World, Cottolenggo, Eucharistiana Center, Sacred Heart, and Servants of Charity.
Fashion for victims
Causemo, Kaingin, and Speed’s ukay-ukay ventures show that philanthropy need not always be within the non-profit organization’s arena.
The Causemo ladies show how their inherent helping hand can translate into fashion venture. “The idea of getting rid of old clothes and helping at the same time was simple and obvious,” says Vivien in Filipino.
The choice of to whom or what the monthly donation will be given to really depends on who needs it the most for that month. One summer, Meko decided to buy school materials for street children. When a fellow crew member and regular consignor lost a loved one, Causemopolitan’s proceeds were given to cover the burial expenses.
“There is no strict schedule of organizations that we donate to all lined up,” says Meko.
“Sometimes we don’t even have enough to give. We give when we can, and we give all we can.”
Customers, on the other hand, have different incentives for shopping at Causemo. Some might buy just for the fashion, some to save up, while others really take into consideration the decision to help. Alumna Joni Ong is all three.
Since her serendipitous spotting of Causemopolitan on a drive going to Greenhills, Joni has bought four vintage pieces to compliment her wardrobe. “Since they donate their proceeds to charities, you feel better about shopping!” says Joni.
Student-shopper Eddan Macabulos agrees. “I super highly encourage everyone to buy from org rummage sales!” he says of his Sprummage experience. “It’s just like buying something for yourself and helping the org to accomplish something good meant for others.”
For the love of pre-loved
Fulfilling as it may be to say that generosity is the raison d’être of these unconventional ukay-ukays, its customers can’t deny that it’s still fashion despite recession that’s tossing them there.
“It’s not the usual items you see in the malls,” says Joni. “It’s fun to scrounge through piles of clothes to find that piece you know you won’t see anywhere else.”
Though the idea still turns off many traditional brand-spankin’-new-only shopaholics, more are beginning to appreciate the charm of re-loving an old piece.
The deal just gets sweeter in knowing that the ones harder hit by the recession are getting their own dose of loving through others’ recession-shopping. You can bet pre-loved items never spread this much love before.
STATION-TO-STATION SHOPPING
Who would’ve thought that a trip down the LRT line could bring so much shopping delight—even with just 200 bucks? The Katipunan-Anonas-Katipunan ticket is only 24 pesos, leaving one with 176 pesos more to spend on the ukay-ukays in the area.
ANONAS
Without even stepping down from the stairs of the LRT 2 Anonas Station, one can already see the swarm of clothing in the thrift shop right outside it. Featuring an impressive array of racks to levels and levels of boots and shoes, taking the train has never been this rewarding.
CUBAO
A two-storey (airconditioned!) building along Aurora Boulevard, the Kabunyan ukay shop has overruns and secondhand items whose prices range from an affordable P 500 to the insane off-price of P 75.
AURORA
The favorite of fashion bloggers, Lolo Oboy’s is a four-storey ukay building near the St. Joseph Church. Be patient in going through the 20+ shops inside—their racks contain vintage toys and graphic shirts sometimes worth five bucks a pop.
TAFT
Now there’s a reason to visit that other avenue. Going down the Pedro Gil Station, near the Reyes Hair Salon is an old office turned ukay shop frequented by students from nearby universities. Prices here are fixed, but reasonable. Branded clothes for P 150? Enough said.
DIVISORIA
At the other end of the commuting line is the popular shopping heaven that is Divisoria. While the items in those proudly air-conditioned malls are what Divi is more known for, this haven is also home to a couple of ukay-ukays whose rare items justify its higher prices.
