They open a retro thrift store against fast food

Thrift stores allow you to buy second-hand clothes, which have already been worn and which can have a new life. In Paris, the Compilstore store is entirely dedicated to this purpose, in a somewhat particular genre: it sells designer clothes at low prices. A section dedicated to upcycling is also present in the shop, in order to unearth unique pieces made by a stylist. Discovery of a place that runs counter to fast-fashion.

Year after year, more and more French people – almost 40% today – turn to thrift stores, this mode of responsible consumption.

By allowing you to find clothes that have already been worn, but are still in good condition, or have been repaired, these shopping areas offer an alternative to fast-fashion and all its drawbacks: pollution, waste, exploitation , obsolescence…

They also give a second life to clothes that would otherwise have fallen into oblivion. Beyond the total devaluation of the material, this endless waste releases synthetic microparticles in the vicinity of dedicated, often natural landfills.

If you can find them almost everywhere, especially via Emmaüs branches, the big cities are particularly full of second-hand shops. In Paris in particular, where a new thrift store has opened its doors in the third arrondissement. Named Compilstore, this space was founded by Alexis, entrepreneur, and Shahineze, a stylist. Entirely devoted to second-hand, it has the particularity of offering high-end branded clothing for sale at low prices. Immersion!

A second-hand clothing section to resell clothes

The aesthetic universe and decorations of this second-hand clothing store are directly inspired by the 1990s, with urban allure. In the shop, there are retro furniture, street-art frescoes on the walls, and portraits of hip-hop figures.

Compilstore is a store divided into two parts: the second-hand part and the part dedicated to upcycling. In the second-hand clothing section, customers will be able to find branded (or not) clothing resold at low prices. Great care is taken with the clothes, which are all clean and of high quality. Second-hand accessories are carefully selected from stocks from all over France.

How to: Make Wood Veneer Pendant Lights - Wood veneer are thin pieces of full woodgrain, which are sold in flexible ... http://t.co/QLBHaJnW

— Carlos Fernández Wed Aug 22 00:36:31 +0000 2012

All the clothes available at Compilstore are washed, disinfected and ironed. They are also sold at attractive prices.

"At Compil, Levi's jeans are sold for 25 euros, a branded t-shirt for 8 euros, and a sweatshirt for 18 euros," said Shahineze, the store's stylist.

An upcycling section that respects the environment

In addition to selling quality clothes, the Compilstore thrift store has an upcycling section, which makes it original. In this part of the store, the products offered for sale are old clothes that could not be resold and which have been reassembled to make new pieces.

In this section, it is possible to find vintage clothes, but also to unearth unique pieces, which are not available anywhere else. The reassembled clothes are created by stylist Shahineze, who makes original outfits. Thus, the shop has no loss of fabric, since even clothes that cannot be resold are used to make new pieces.

“Our objective is to integrate the second hand into the habits of citizens by offering them the possibility of continuing to consume while being in an approach more coherent with the ecological challenges of our century. We want to be an actor that strongly contributes to the evolution of mores on second-hand purchases”, explain the co-founders of Compilstore.

The section dedicated to upcycling also offers decorative items, also made with items that could not be resold as is. For example, you can find a pair of sneakers used as a flowerpot.

Ultimately, the founders of Compilstore would like to develop their brand on a national scale and enlarge their workspace by sharing it with creators, craftsmen and restaurateurs who would have the same values ​​as the brand. And for those who would like to take advantage of it but who are far from Paris, Compilstore is also a website!

Follow their Facebook page or Instagram.

Lisa Guinot