INTERVIEW #144 NICHON GLERUM
Photo credit: Anke Teunissen
Name: Nichon Glerum
Occupation: Photographer by day, founder and CEO of the Clothing Loop by night
Based in: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Website: www.clothingloop.org
Instagram: @theclothingloop for the project, @nichonglerum for my photography, and @up_for_swaps for my style.
Photo: Nichon and her mother sewing. Around 1988
We would like to start with you personally, so what’s your relationship with clothes, when did you get interested? How would you describe your style and the clothes you choose to wear?
1-11 years old
My mother was very good at making clothes, and I remember from a young age I was always intrigued by the pumping motion of the sewing machine needle, the red fabric scissors that were Absolutely Not To Be Touched by us children (which made them irresistibly attractive of course), and all the colourful bobbins. She also used to make miniature versions of my dolls so we could twin. When I turned 11 I started to get my own ideas about the designs, and so she taught me how to sew. Through this experience, I learned from a very young age what amount of work goes into making a single garment.
12-18 years old
In high school, I went through various styles and I experimented a lot with my outfits and my hair. I loved exploring and expressing my personality through clothes and was still improving my sewing skills. Making clothes not only for myself but also for my friends, my dance peers and the theatre group at school.
19-25 years old
I decided to go to a fashion academy and... I got só lost style-wise! The design work went fine, but everybody looked like they just stepped off of the catwalk. It was such a demanding and time-consuming study, I simply did not know where my schoolmates got the time and energy from, so during the entire studies I wore a 'Steve Jobs' uniform: sneakers, jeans and a black turtleneck.
25 years old until now.
For a blue Monday, I had a full-time job as a junior designer, and even though it was a nice brand and a lovely team, I immediately missed the artistic side of fashion (and my freedom! I am a born freelancer). This work was about collections, production and of course making a profit. A rat race that was just not for me. I quit after six months, sold most of my belongings and started living the bohemian life. I lived and worked on four different continents, and that is when my 'buy nothing new' journey began!
Photo: Jennifer Lawrence wearing Ted Lapidus sunglasses
Photo: Nichon wearing Ted Lapidus sunglasses
Is it true that you haven't both anything new for a decade? Can you tell us more about the challenge and why you did it?
Absolutely. Nothing new for 14 years!* And it did not start as a challenge at all, it just happened. I spent almost three years working remotely and living out of a backpack, so I did not need much. I also did not have much to spend haha, so this was an easy way to save money. The sustainable side was a nice bonus. Now it is the other way around. I honestly could not myself going back to buying new ever again. It's like my vegetarian lifestyle. I do not think about it anymore, it is just part of my lifestyle now and I do not miss the 'original' anymore. (A system that is quite broken anyway.)
When I really desire a particular item, I find the utmost joy in the hunt. That one time, I saw Jennifer Lawrence in the movie American Hustle, wearing The Most Amazing Sunglasses Ever. I immediately paused the movie, and went online to find out it was a vintage Ted Lapidus. Next, I set out an eBay alert and a few months later I got a hit! I put in prescription glasses and have been wearing them for almost seven years now. Get a lot of compliments on them too!
I just love how these stories add to the emotional value. Through hunting for something second-hand, swapping with peers (and getting a peek into the item’s previous life!) or making something yourself, your closet becomes a unique collection of stories. Currently, I am working with my mother-in-law on a replica of an amazing quilted pair of flares I saw a Slow Fashion ambassador wear on Instagram. I sourced second-hand old blouses and shirts for months, figured out the pattern and now we are quilting. It's a slow process but I'll wear those pants as long as they'll fit me!
Lastly: I find it extremely interesting how the perceived value of something changes when you have not purchased it. Your judgement does not become clouded by the price you paid. How many of us have these expensive purchases in our closet, that never get to see the light of day? Still, we cannot let go, because we paid so much. This is not only cluttering your closet, also your mental space. So many clothes and nothing to wear sounds familiar? The more you get into swapping, the more tailored for the (wx)man you are today. No more clutter. And bonus: the easier it becomes to let go. Such a dopamine shot when somebody sends a happy selfie with an item that has been laying around in your closet forever!
Pictured: the selfies for the Clothing Loop turned into an Instagram account for my entire slow fashion closet: @up_for_swaps. Lots of people borrow clothes from me, so this overview comes in handy. Unless an item has been swapped again of course!
Can you tell us more about @theclothingloop, what is it and what is the purpose of the work?
The Clothing Loop is my accidental swap empire haha! Started during Covid-19 lockdowns, and it really took flight. Clothing Loop is an initiative that offers an easy way for swapping clothes with people in your neighbourhood. The idea is simple: Loops are set up by local hosts. Large bags filled with clothes travel along a route past all participants in a certain city or district.
Did you receive the bag from the person before you in the Loop? Time to shop! Take any items you like, and put clothing items in the bag that are in good condition and ready for a new owner. Feel free to share a photo of your latest find, as it is really nice for other participants to see where those clothes end up. Then you bring the bag to the next person on the list. It really increases the sense of community in the neighbourhood: we are not just swapping clothes, we are building communities.
Want to join? Check out the map and sign up for a Loop near you. There are already 500 Loops in 11 countries. No active Loop in your area yet? Clothing Loop can help you set one up! Joining is free and open to everyone.
What is your best advice towards the readers to enjoy fashion and clothing without doing harm?
Well, the obvious answer here would be to swap till you drop! But led me to add some nuance to that: I find this 'buyarchy of needs' pyramid to be the perfect visualisation of all the things you could do, ranging from most impactful to lesser so. You can zigzag through all levels in any order that works for you. Because the world does not need a few people that are doing things perfectly -if that is even possible. No, we need A LOT of people to do as much as they can. So wherever you are on your slow fashion journey: well done and welcome, keep up the good work!