YES, I SHOP THRIFT. NO I’M NOT CHEAP.
BURO MIDDLE EAST, JULY 2021
WORDS & COLLAGES BY LARA AKKARI
Hi. My name is Lara Akkari and I shop secondhand.
Living in Dubai, that statement sometimes feels like coming clean in a 12-step program, often met with a speculative stare, perhaps a slight recoil of distaste, and at best, a pitiful smile reserved for the impoverished.
Secondhand here has a bad rep. Viewed with a social stigma of being “used”; which for a region dominated by novelty and exclusivity enthusiasts, obsessed with hard to find, but must have megawattage brands, the notion of preowned feels a little soiled. Granted it’s a tough sell.
Pre-owned by virtue of its definition is not new. It is old(er). But hear this, old is gold. And not because your mamma said so. Shopping second hand is novel, in that it offers you the possibilities of seeking out the rare. The strange. The misunderstood. And yes, the had to have’s that you can’t find anymore. It’s also sustainable, affordable and an alternative to the already heavily burdened fashion system. Who wouldn’t want to date that?
Perhaps dear reader, a change of perspective is in order.