Keep it local and fill your shopping bags
Darlinghurst and Surry Hills traders have launched a Shop Local campaign, running for the month of August, in a bid to lift the spirits of shoppers and business owners in the 2010 postcode precinct.
Organiser and Love2010 Business Partnership president Lawrence Gibbons told the Star Observer he was confident the campaign would have a positive effect on the area.
“All month long, we’re promoting retail in the precinct. It’s all about keeping money in the local economy, creating more jobs in the area, and stimulating daytime trade in an area that’s become increasingly reliant on late-night activity,” he said.
The campaign is happening with strong support from Lord Mayor Clover Moore, who is expected to take an active part in the program being organised by the 2010 Business Partnership, strengthening ties between the Darlinghurst/Surry Hills business community and the City of Sydney.
The highlight of the month will be the three-day 2010 Fashion Festival, running from August 18-20 around Taylor Square and Oxford St. The event directly precedes the larger-scale Rosemount Fashion Festival and “all the Spring Carnival silliness,” which Gibbons said was a conscious decision on the part of the traders involved.
“We decided to hold it before all that because we believe that Darlinghurst and Surry Hills really set the fashion trends. A lot of the things people wear are worn first around Oxford St.
“And of course, gay people are the ones that straight people like to look like! It makes sense that we come out and show off our wares before anyone else.”
Over the three days, shoppers can take advantage of bargain prices in participating boutiques, with special events including a launch party and parade at TAP Gallery from 8pm on August 19 and a glamorous outdoor fashion parade showcasing local retailers, to be held at Taylor Square on Saturday, August 20 between 12-3pm.
The show will include live performances by local artists Mike Champion and African dance group Saea Banyana. There will also be a drag fashion show in which anyone can vote for a winner, all coinciding with the Sydney Sustainable Markets in Taylor Square.
“People can stand on the balcony at the Oxford Hotel for drinks and free canapes and watch the parade. We’ll have professional models showcasing the designs of local 2010 designers. It’s also an opportunity to showcase drag fashion – drag queens can strut the catwalk, and people can vote for their favourite. At 2pm the winning diva will be announced over at the Stonewall,” said Gibbons.
In an increasingly tough retail climate, campaigns like Shop Local can help to make shoppers connect with retailers. Business owners in the area are feeling the pinch and, as trader Ken Holmes of men’s fashion store Aussie Boys said, “We know we have to practically give our stock away if we want to get our customers back. We’ll feel the pain but its pain worth copping if it works. And why wouldn’t it? Who doesn’t love a weekend romp through these iconic parts of Sydney?”
And for Gibbons, the campaign isn’t just about luring shoppers to open their wallets – there’s a wider cultural legacy at stake, too.
“We live in a world where you can buy the same homogenised products either online or in those big malls in the CBD. What you can’t find in those monocultural shops are the unique and interesting things that you can find in unique boutiques. I think there’s a movement back to the local communities to find things that are interesting and unique,” he said.
“If there aren’t unique small businesses like the ones found around Oxford St, then we all suffer. Monoculture doesn’t support unique and interesting culture.
“We have to support these businesses – if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
info: www.love2010.com.au
