Quality clothing comes out of closet
Copper Boutique new showplace for timeless garments
Fabulous, bright and colourful, while also unique and sustainable, Copper Boutique has come to Paraparaumu Beach. Created by Lauren Jordan and Lisa White, the new consignment store, opening tomorrow, aims to bring colour back to Copperfields, while also bringing life back into secondhand clothing.
Meeting each other on the Capital Connection while commuting into Wellington, Lauren and Lisa’s idea developed out of a love of shopping.
“As our friendship developed, we spent many a weekend shopping at consignment stores,” Lauren said.
“We both come from a philosophy of things being sustainable and fabulous and both have wardrobes showing that.
“We thought no one else is doing this in Paraparaumu Beach, so why not do it.”
“Lauren has always had a big Instagram following with her Walk in Wardrobe,” Lisa said.
“Here’s me wearing black, whereas she can spot something fabulous from a mile away.
“She’ll then put it with something I would never put it with and it looks a million bucks.”
Aiming to counteract fast fashion and the racks and racks of cheap clothing hitting chain stores, Copper Boutique is all about finding fabulous, quality clothing that is timeless and
selling it on to new owners.
“There are so many clothes in New Zealand, we don’t need more new clothing,” Lauren said.
“We’re not limited to a season, everyone has something fabulous in their wardrobe they love and which is too good to throw out, but they don’t wear it.
“We want clothing to be worn, for people to bring them out of the closet and let them see the day again.
“This is an opportunity for people to clear out their wardrobe and only have stuff in it that they wear while making a bit of money.
“It’s also an opportunity to buy quality clothing and realise that if you do buy quality it lasts longer and is a lot more timeless.”
“When I’m walking down the street wearing bright colours and someone sees me, you can see them smiling to themselves,” Lisa said.
“It lifts not just you, but the people around you and it generates conversations with people.”
To sell your quality clothing through Copper Boutique simply fill out a form stating what you wish to do with the clothing, and you will be given an online account.
“You get an account where you can see what items are being sold, what they’re selling for and where you can see in real-time if they have been sold.
“We also want to know what you want us to do with the clothes that we don’t want — most people will come back and get them, if not we will take them to KYS.
“We keep clothes for eight weeks and if they don’t sell either we return them to the owner or we donate them to the Ka¯piti Youth Support store.”
You can then access that money through store credit or get the money put back into your account.
The store has been fitted out by the pair with Lisa upcycling objects most people would see as junk, into beautiful works of art: from junk to funk.
Creating art under the name Funky Nut, her current projects include a number of upcycled light fittings which have been craftily fused together, filled with solarpowered string lights.
Using finds from the tip shop and constantly producing more pieces of art for the store, Lisa will be selling her creations from Copper Boutique alongside the clothing.
“We also have records for sale too.” Looking to help reinvigorate Copperfields shopping area, the pair have fitted out the store with fabulous finds from op shops along with putting a lot of effort themselves into the refresh of the building and creation of Copper Boutique, paying homage to Copperfields of the past with their name.
“All the furniture and fittings have been made for stuff we didn’t need to buy.
“There is not a lot of risk involved with the place other than the blood, sweat and tears that we’ve put into it.
“Paraparaumu Beach is getting so busy now and it’s a community that is growing.”
With Dark Horse coffee, all the eateries, new shops, florists and fresh places recently coming to the Beach, the pair said they are looking forward to joining the community.
Copper Boutique is located at Copperfields, 7 Seaview Rd, Paraparaumu Beach, and is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10am.