Clothed on Sunday is a Vancouver vintage and unique clothing business. We spoke with Kelly and Cooper to find out more about what they do.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Our business is called Clothed on Sunday, many of our customers just refer to us as Kelly & Cooper. We source gently used vintage and unique clothing items and sell them through Poshmark. Our goal is to curate clothing pieces that are unique, something our customers can add into their wardrobe that no one else has. We relate to the feeling of wearing an awesome piece of clothing that represents your individual style, that makes you stand out and feel confident.
What made you want to do this work?
I’ve always loved fashion and especially hunting for unique items in secondhand shops. When Cooper developed an interest in fashion at 13, he discovered the joy of finding pieces and building outfits inspired by looks from some of his favourite style icons. We discovered Poshmark Canada in 2020, during a COVID lockdown and immediately knew this would be a great platform to start a small business together. Because Poshmark is so user-friendly it was easy to jump in and build up our inventory at our own pace. We didn’t need to take a big financial risk and had the flexibility to create our own schedule and do as much or as little as we wanted. As a homeschooling family, we’ve taken a unique approach to education by allowing our kids to lead the way on what they are learning. When there is an interest they are passionate about, they have an internal motivation that drives their success in ways that imposed subjects can’t. This has definitely been the case with Cooper and his continued drive to participate fully, build new skills and grow our business. Over the past year and a half, Cooper has learned how to successfully run a small business at the age of 15. With a career in fashion in mind, this opportunity has been invaluable. And as a mom, doing something I love, in partnership with my teenage son, has been so fulfilling.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
Buying secondhand contributes to slowing down the environmental effects of the fashion industry. Prolonging the life of garments by reusing them is a small step everyone can take part in. It’s very satisfying to bring a piece of discarded clothing back to life, send it to a new home and receive a positive review from a happy customer.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
People of all ages and genders across Canada purchase items from our closets. One of the advantages of us working as a team, as a 52 and 15-year-old, is we bring different perspectives when we are sourcing items. We have feminine and masculine clothes in a variety of styles and sizes.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
We get a lot of clothing items donated to us by family and friends and we source from online auctions, estate sales, church sales, garage sales, thrift shops and our own closets. We clean and steam each item and make any necessary repairs. Once the item is photographed we list it in our Poshmark closet. Sales are shipped right to our customers’ doors.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
We live on Vancouver Island. Our Poshmark closet is available online to all Canadian shoppers
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
“How can I be assured that my purchase will meet my expectations?”
Customer service is really important to us. We work hard to make the whole experience a positive one by using quality photos, including accurate measurements, being transparent about any item flaws, answering questions, working within a customer’s budget and shipping to their door. Cooper is an expert at packaging and we always include a personalized thank you note.
We recognize that there is a level of risk when buying used goods online, so it’s important to us that we gain trust from each customer so they will continue to shop with us.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part is working together. We make a good team. It’s pretty special to see Cooper discover something he’s passionate about and all the skills he’s learning just unfolding naturally.
The worst part is cleaning shoes. Not a fun job. But we have restored lots of footwear to its former glory.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
I can’t resist a free pile at the side of the road. Cooper has been slightly mortified on more than one occasion when I’ve pulled over to dig through junk.
Where can we follow you?
You can check out Poshmark
And follow us on Instagram
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
We love shopping for our own wardrobes at the Upcycle Clothing Collective. It’s a vintage and specially curated consignment store with a great selection, including upcycled clothing items and locally made gift items.
Great prices and friendly staff. They are located at 517 Fort St, downtown Victoria, BC.
