Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle through Reworn: Shop Smart at Drexel
Can fashion be stylish, sustainable, and student-led? If you’ve found yourself wandering around Drexel’s campus in University City, you may find that there aren’t many clothing retailers within a close range. Journeying into Center City, there are numerous possibilities for shopping, but they are far apart, and it can be challenging to find options that are both affordable and sustainable.
That’s where Reworn comes in. Located in the URBN Center, the home of Drexel University’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Reworn is a student-focused shop dedicated to promoting a more sustainable campus consumer culture. Launched by Fashion Industry and Merchandising Professor Rachel Higgins in 2024, Reworn reflects her commitment to sustainability. Higgins is also a co-founder of the non-profit organization Pennsylvania Fibershed, which aims to create a circular textile economy and address the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Housing donations from new alumni, Retail & Design Club (RAD), clothing swaps, and the remnants of move-outs provide a wide variety of items that contribute to this stylish circular system. Purchases are made easily by scanning a QR code and entering the payment amount for the selected item. Suggested prices are listed for the customer’s discretion. Proceeds from the store support the Fashion Industry and Merchandising (FIM) Department of Drexel University and the Pennsylvania Fibershed. Students are welcome to stop by and browse Reworn Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm.
A view of Reworn upon entering the shop located at Drexel Westphal
Since the fall of 2024, senior Fashion Industry & Merchandising student Sadie Patterson has taken on the role of curator for the store. With a passion for styling, Patterson sought an outlet to incorporate her expertise in this field. Chris Baeza, associate program director and assistant teaching professor in the FIM Department, offered the opportunity to use her work on Reworn as her senior thesis.
Store curator Sadie Patterson stands in front of Drexel second-hand clothing store Reworn
As a student, with fellow students in mind, Patterson knows what the Drexel community wants. “I think about the Westphal students that are walking around the lobby,” she says, “I think about what my peers are wearing.” Scavenging through the collection of second-hand clothing, the image of the consumer is vivid in her mind, from the more alternative and edgy to vintage and retro.
Deciding which clothing to display in-store is just one part of her role; arranging it in a visually appealing way is another. For each season—Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter—a Refresh occurs, capturing the essence of the moment. Creating this space requires careful consideration. Behind the scenes, Patterson and fellow student Saffron Buscemi worked on putting away Fall pieces and introducing fresh Spring items, moving from the storage closet to the store. Hours were spent meticulously merchandising well-organized fixtures for a refreshed store look. This look includes clothing displays along with screen displays featuring images from photoshoots.
Sadie rummages through a curated selection of items to create a cohesive in-store look that aligns with promotional content. With all the available apparel, some pieces are selected for display, and from those, a few are chosen to be showcased in photoshoots that occur each season. “I get everything from the inventory that I think will work, and then I do the photo shoot and choose the styled inventory picks from there, so everything looks cohesive when it's all together,” she says, “...it’s more about making the shoot around the clothes rather than making the clothes around the shoot.” Patterson, along with FIM Senior Molly McCabe, takes on the roles of stylist and photographer for the Spring Refresh. They feature senior student models Pearl Yocum and Theo Rosenberg. After the shoot, photo selection and editing are conducted to finalize what will be displayed. With the incorporation of aesthetic graphics and refined images, what has been created is sure to catch the attention of students in-store and on Instagram.
Co-author Hannah Claiborne enters Reworn in the Drexel Westphal lobby
Through all these student efforts, a well-curated and visually appealing shop comes about in the form of Reworn. Please visit the store, located in the lobby of the URBN Center, 3501 Market St. To stay updated, follow Reworn on Instagram. The Spring Collection is currently available to browse and shop, so step on in.