My side hustle inspired by my love of shopping earns me £10,000 per event – I’m only 21
A YOUNG woman who founded her own fashion market rakes in £10,000 for every event she holds.
Poppy Collingwood-Cameron, 21, has attracted over 100 sellers to her pop-up markets in less than a year.
Poppy began playing around on Depop when she was 13, and in a few short years is now spearheading her own profitable business.
It’s a remarkable turn around for someone who was working part-time for a catering company not long before.
Nostalgic about how she used to shop with her friends, the entrepreneur launched Clothes Cycle – offering up clothing, food, beauty and art stalls to revellers nationwide.
Poppy, from Alnwick, Northumberland, told PA Real Life: “I fondly remember hanging out at shopping centres and looking at clothes with friends when I was younger.
“With the death of the high street, the cost-of-living crisis and the focus on sustainability, the way people purchase clothes has changed, but shopping online has its own problems.
“You’ll find something you think is cool, but it arrives looking completely different and returning it isn’t always simple.
“I wanted to find a way for people to come together, find clothes they really like and also get a bargain”.
Poppy conceived her savvy business plan during the pandemic, before hosting her first event in Bristol less than two years later – attracting 17 sellers.
She continued: “I’d been selling clothes on Depop since I was 13 and that used to give me the biggest thrill.
“I just love the feeling of the more work you put into something, the more you get back.
“The way we shop has changed now and I think a sustainable fashion market is what’s missing – a full-day shopping experience”.
Four months after her first event, the student pulled in 80 sellers to Victoria Baths in Manchester.
Poppy said: “It was quite a big jump from the last event, which only had 25 sellers, so it was unbelievably stressful.
“I was so nervous going into it but the turnout was incredible and at the bigger event, I made just under £10,000.
Her business continues to go from strength to strength – with the fledgling businesswoman now poised to welcome 150 sellers to a venue in the capital.
The event is being held at Neasden Warehouse, and will offer up pre-loved fashion items ranging from bargain vintage finds to exclusive designers.
She continued: “The next pop-up I’m doing is in London on June 25 and it’s the biggest one to date. I’ve got about 150 sellers coming and it’s super nerve wracking but really exciting”.
Poppy, who is about to enter her final year at university, is now considering whether to apply the brakes on her studies to focus her energy on Clothes Cycle.
“It keeps getting bigger and bigger and we have more pop-up events to plan throughout the year”, she said.
“We’re going to do more venues in August and September but those aren’t confirmed yet and I’m hoping to add more in before Christmas.
“I want to finish my degree but I also want to put all my time and energy into this so I’m thinking about taking a break from uni while I expand the events.
“It’s really exciting and I can’t wait to see where it goes.”