input requested
So I've had an idea for what could be both a fun and profitable business venture...
I've noticed in my many visits to Goodwill, Sal. Army, and the local consignment shop over the years that there are a LOT of wedding gowns, prom dresses, etc that wind up given away for peanuts because they no longer fit, or they got a small stain, or they're no longer in fashion, etc. Meanwhile, designer gowns and "conscientious"(organic-fiber and fair trade materials, etc) bridal gowns and formal wear seem to be a big thing now, and most people seem to prefer one-of-a-kind pieces to assembly-line production, particularly with something as personal as a wedding gown...and then you've got the wearable art "industry," etc... And then there's me, sitting here with no shows to work on and costume-training going to waste, spending way too much time browsing through such things, and thinking how it'd be fun to make a recycled wedding gown one of these days instead of paying $200-1000 for someone else to make a new one.
So here's my idea. I think I could start at a fairly low overhead cost, since the original pieces I'd be using would come from thrift stores and the like. I could easily set up shop on etsy to sell the finished products, and depending on how labor-intensive it is I could probably make a tidy profit per piece without charging an arm and a leg. I'd be offering a unique product, and one that I think there's a market for. From the customer's point of view, this would/could be a good deal cheaper than a new off-the-rack dress, and "greener" than even the eco-friendly organic gowns, since I'd be reusing materials rather than having to have it made new, and rescuing items that might otherwise end up in a landfill somewhere. My questions for you people are, does this sound viable to you, do you think there's a market for this sort of thing, and would you(or someone you know) be interested in such a product?
I've noticed in my many visits to Goodwill, Sal. Army, and the local consignment shop over the years that there are a LOT of wedding gowns, prom dresses, etc that wind up given away for peanuts because they no longer fit, or they got a small stain, or they're no longer in fashion, etc. Meanwhile, designer gowns and "conscientious"(organic-fiber and fair trade materials, etc) bridal gowns and formal wear seem to be a big thing now, and most people seem to prefer one-of-a-kind pieces to assembly-line production, particularly with something as personal as a wedding gown...and then you've got the wearable art "industry," etc... And then there's me, sitting here with no shows to work on and costume-training going to waste, spending way too much time browsing through such things, and thinking how it'd be fun to make a recycled wedding gown one of these days instead of paying $200-1000 for someone else to make a new one.
So here's my idea. I think I could start at a fairly low overhead cost, since the original pieces I'd be using would come from thrift stores and the like. I could easily set up shop on etsy to sell the finished products, and depending on how labor-intensive it is I could probably make a tidy profit per piece without charging an arm and a leg. I'd be offering a unique product, and one that I think there's a market for. From the customer's point of view, this would/could be a good deal cheaper than a new off-the-rack dress, and "greener" than even the eco-friendly organic gowns, since I'd be reusing materials rather than having to have it made new, and rescuing items that might otherwise end up in a landfill somewhere. My questions for you people are, does this sound viable to you, do you think there's a market for this sort of thing, and would you(or someone you know) be interested in such a product?