For as long as she can remember, Drew Elwarner has had a passion for fashion. The Oakland University senior has been thrifting since age 13, spending years curating her personal style of unique patterns and bright-colored garments.
Ever since she discovered the world of vintage fashion and thrifting, Elwarner has made it a priority to share her unique finds with the rest of the world. In fact, Elwarner runs a Depop marketplace where she sells vintage garments.
In August of 2023, Elwarner had the idea to bring her love for sustainable fashion to OU’s campus by starting a student organization of her own. When she shared her idea with a friend’s mother, she was encouraged to make her dream a reality.
“I was like, wait, actually, I could do that. So then that’s when I start DMing people on Instagram, like, ‘Do you want to be secretary?’” Elwarner said.
Elwarner quickly assembled and formed a leadership team, with Isabella Lenzi, Chloe Kukuk and Bella Williams eager to serve as e-board members for the organization. Elwarner herself took on the role of president for the group.
The foursome named their group the Vintage and Secondhand Fashion Club, intending to attract members interested in sustainable, old-fashioned clothing.
When the club began its marketing efforts at the beginning of the fall semester, Elwarner was overwhelmed with support. Dozens of students joined the group and have been regular attendees at the group’s biweekly meetings.
“It [the club] is basically a passion project where I did not expect it to be, to really catch on with so many people at Oakland,” Elwarner said. “It was very exciting but it was also super overwhelming because I was only expecting like 20 people to join.”
In its first few months as an official student organization, the Vintage and Secondhand Fashion Club has already had multiple successful thrifting outings. The group recently collaborated with the Ballroom and Latin Dance Club to host a swing dance event.
Elwarner is overjoyed to be able to provide a space for individuals to express themselves through clothing and connect with others with unique styles.
“I did not know that this club was going to be such an interest for so many people on campus. I feel like everyone else probably feels that same way,” Elwarner said. “A lot of us thought that our fashion interests were so niche, it’s great to realize that a larger community shares your interests.”
Although Elwarner will be graduating this April, she is confident the Vintage and Secondhand Fashion Club will continue to thrive in future years due to the wide array of dedicated students involved in the group.
On Nov. 27, the club will host a basic tailoring workshop at 5:30 p.m. in the Oakland Center’s Lake Huron Room. The workshop will teach attendees basic sewing techniques for mending and altering garments.
To learn more about the Vintage and Secondhand Fashion Club, please visit the group’s webpage on GrizzOrgs. For timely updates on club activities, follow @vintageclubou on Instagram.
