Thrift Up!
Philadelphia’s pop-up thrift exchange benefitting survivors of domestic violence.
Thrift Up is a proposed non-profit event created for Design for the Public Good with Kelly Holohan. This pop-up thrift exchange event doubles as a fundraiser and supply drive for Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia’s leading domestic violence advocate and service provider.
Women Against Abuse was founded in 1976 as a part-time hotline in a women’s center, and has since become one of the country’s largest domestic violence agencies. WAA provides a broad range of services, including issuing short and long-term shelter, legal representation, community education, and outreach, public policy advocacy, case management, and more.
It didn’t take much research to uncover just how prevalent of an issue domestic violence is in Philadelphia. I still had much to learn about the subject at hand and the true depth of its domino effects, so I got to work.
Initial Research
Getting Acquainted with the “Big Picture”
The rippling effects of domestic violence impact us all, with devastating consequences for families and communities. Even so, it tends to be an uncomfortable, often stigmatized topic of discussion, and it’s for that exact reason that I was drawn to a non-profit whose mission is to tackle it head-on. Because one of my primary goals was to address misinformation and spread awareness on the subject, it was important to me that I had an informed perspective.
Domestic violence — to simplify its many intricate layers and implications into one general definition — is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors, used to gain power and control over others. It is not always visible to an outsider’s eye and can include physical, sexual, emotional, and financial outlets of control and intimidation.
Domestic violence intersects with a host of other social justice issues. It is enabled by preexisting systems of oppression, such as racism, homophobia, transphobia, or poverty, and in turn, perpetuates these cycles. Key demographic risk factors are young age, low income, unemployment, and minority group membership, leading to these individuals and communities being disproportionately affected by domestic and intimate partner violence.
Age
Domestic violence most commonly impacts individuals aged 18–34.
Income Level
The majority of clientele receiving direct, emergency services from Women Against Abuse fall below the poverty line, and 94% of these victims experience financial abuse.
Race and Ethnicity
Women Against Abuse pays special care to racial injustice in its advocacy, which is especially important given Philadelphia’s rich diversity.
Gender and Sexuality
The nature of domestic violence is such that different minority groups often overlap with each other. Even among women, there are disproportionate rates of intimate partner violence — compared to roughly 35% of straight women, 43.8% lesbian women and 61.1% of bisexual women reported such experiences. 54% of transgender and non-binary individuals reported victimization, as well.
Domestic violence is often termed a “gendered crime” — while it certainly does not discriminate, women experience higher rates of repeated victimization and are more likely to be seriously injured or hurt in male violence against women, as opposed to vice-versa. This does not mean women are exempt from being perpetrators of such violence, or that the victimization of men is not something to be concerned with.
Breaking the Cycle
Too often, domestic violence is swept under the rug. To only admonish the most visible, severe forms of physical abuse and fail to examine why other forms of psychological, sexual, and financial intimidation, control, or manipulation are harmful, is to dismiss the larger picture.
Domestic violence victims have had their lack of control weaponized against them in one way or another and might feel trapped by fear for themselves or for their children. They are often isolated from financial resources, personal connections, and institutions alike, and there is an overwhelming lack of resources made available to survivors, leaving little to no options when they do “leave.” The heartbreaking truth is that victims are often faced with no shelter, supplies, funds, or support, and see no other choice but to return to a harmful situation.
On average, it takes a victim seven attempts before they are able to leave for good. It also takes an average of three reported incidents before offenders are finally charged with domestic violence… or, more commonly, placed on “probation.”
This misinformed kind of stigma, which inadvertently blames the survivor for not leaving sooner rather than holding the abuser accountable, allows the cycle to continue. Widespread systematic change will be required in order to break it, and until then, we can all benefit from compassion, advocacy, and a willingness to listen.
Identifying the Problem
A Closer Look at the Organization
Women Against Abuse is Philadelphia’s leading advocate against domestic violence, and even with the abundance of effective resources they’re able to provide, the organization still struggles to keep up with unrelenting demand.
I found that Women Against Abuse is an equal opportunity employer, so while it has a competent team, it has a small body of public volunteers. The organization relies on word of mouth, social media, and advertisement to spread the word about its efforts, and only hosts one fundraising event per year. “Dish it Up!” is a niche women’s chef competition, featuring speakers and food from some of the city’s beloved restaurants, that was postponed for two years due to the pandemic.
The organization’s programming stands to benefit from increased funds, and tackling the problem of domestic violence at a grassroots level will require new dialogues with the broader Philadelphia community.
Developing a Concept
The Story Behind Thrift Up…
From the very onset of the brainstorming process, I was hoping for an event that would not only spread awareness, but would produce something tangible to benefit the organization and the individuals in its protection. While trying to consider what some of those immediate needs might be, a few key resources came to mind: funds, shelter, and supplies.
Earlier this spring, I had watched a Netflix mini-series called Maid, which follows a young mother escaping an abusive relationship. During her stay at an emergency shelter, she is introduced to a “boutique,” where everything from clothes to shoes, to household essentials and toys, was made available to these women free of cost. Having the freedom to choose clothing and belongings for themselves, and gaining a rare sense of normalcy from the simulated act of shopping, allowed domestic violence victims to regain lost parts of their identity and redeem feelings of independence. This scene came to mind while I was drafting this project.
It was apparent during the research process that many domestic violence victims leave dangerous situations suddenly; sometimes, with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Chances are high that they are at a financial disadvantage, have nowhere to go that will provide for them, or both. With all of these factors in mind, I started digging deeper into the idea of an essential supply drive — but what about this would appeal to the public?
Upcycling and thrifting clothing is a hot topic of conversation right now, especially among younger audiences. It’s cheap, sustainable, and exciting. And so, the idea of a mutually beneficial, pop-up thrift exchange — open to both the public and to the DV survivors who might benefit from it most — came to be.
Planning the Event
Benefits, Logistics, and Audience
It was immediately clear that this kind of event could produce several benefits for Women Against Abuse. A thrift exchange isn’t limited to clothing, and can easily loop in other essentials like toiletries, household items, accessories, entertainment, and more. Proceeds from ticket sales can directly benefit shelters and programs, alongside donations generated from the event.
It seemed relatively simple to designate some time in-between products being dropped off and the pop-up actually taking place. This allows for items to be sanitized, sorted, and most importantly, made available to Women Against Abuse’s shelters and domestic violence survivors before opening up to the public. In theory, this would create a private, secure environment for these individuals to receive some of the resources they need most. If they choose, they can attend the pop-up event as well, free of charge.
Lastly, a thrift exchange will attract interest from a broad audience across all ages, genders, and backgrounds — including those who might not have ordinarily gotten involved with a non-profit like Women Against Abuse. A target user might already be familiar with the organization, or they may be someone who likes the idea of volunteering, and is looking for a fun and easy way to squeeze community engagement into their busy schedule. It’s equally possible that they’re attending solely for a fun shopping experience.
By marketing to the general public, and keeping the event accessible and visible with a pop-up tent installation at Washington Square Park, we can create a uniquely effective platform for education and exposure, and set the stage for future fundraisers.
Naming the Event
Brainstorming an Identity
To start, I created a mind-map, packed with as many relevant words relating to apparel and advocacy as I could come up with. Ultimately, I found the solution in simplicity — “Thrift Up” was a natural combination of everything that I wanted to communicate, and we rolled with it.
The catchy phrase immediately offers up the main theme of the event, with emphasis on the word “up” tying in connotations of upcycling, as well. Moreover, it brings an energetic, call-to-action quality to the table — it feels positive and engaging, and encourages you to help up-lift your neighbors.
Not only that, but it pretty efficiently bounces off of Women Against Abuse’s existing “Dish it Up” fundraising event, tying together a sense of cohesion within the non-profit itself.
Designing the Brand
Mood Boards and Style Tile
Considering the topic at hand, I had to come to a decision about the project’s overall mood. It was important to achieve a balance between an identity that would remain friendly and inviting while also respecting the realities of domestic violence.
While developing the logo and style tile, I began leaning towards a more light-hearted, abstract approach that could be universally enjoyed without undermining the depth of the subject matter: limiting photography, adopting a rich color palette, and developing a system of simple icons and patterns that could communicate without being too descriptive or literal.
Thrift Up, as a whole, addresses a plurality of topics: fashion, sustainability, community, domestic violence education, etc. I wanted to tap into each of these when designing the event’s identity, and with Kelly’s help, I realized that if I could find a way to organize all of these different themes, it might feel more achievable.
The solution ended up taking form in the concept of an open grid, where a more controlled balance could be established between illustration and visual excitement and the wide range of information I wanted to communicate. I started working on a series of icons, which could represent different thrifted goods, themes of community, and help organize information — they could even stand in as a responsive logo to represent the event itself.
From there, I set out to enrich the brand’s visuals and push my experimentation with color and shape even further. That direction developed into designing various patterns, based on different textiles and retro fashion trends that might be commonly found in a thrift store.
Thrift Up on the Web
The User Experience, Desktop and Mobile Site
As soon as the patterns and icons were drafted, providing direction for the brand as a whole, the next step was to plan and expand a wireframe. I narrowed down the site’s necessary functions to a basic event breakdown (the “Five W’s” and a “How it Works” section), registration and signup info, and an educational read-through about domestic violence itself.
I also felt it was important that access to various Women Against Abuse resources was interwoven into the event’s web identity.
My goal for the website was to develop an exciting and playful design that still adhered to a clean, sophisticated wireframe. From the onset of this project, it was clear that I would be communicating a lot of information, so it was crucial to stay organized.
My brand was quickly developing a vibrant flavor, and it took time for me to find the right balance between interaction, pattern, typography, and contrast with some much-needed negative space.
I started to translate the design into a mobile format, and worked on the two side by side for the duration of the project, making sure that all elements had a responsive quality.
I adapted my landing page’s interactive style between formats, thinking that a carousel drag menu would most efficiently communicate the “Five W’s” on a mobile screen — this simplified my icon system to a point where I could still make use of it.
Social Media
Instagram Campaign
Designing a developed social media campaign felt like a vital pathway for generating continuous involvement and flexible advertisement for the event. Instagram’s platform had great potential for starting conversations, reaching new audiences, and attracting engagement with Thrift Up, including any future pop-ups.
Posts focused primarily on the upcoming event, introducing a breakdown of how it works, why it matters, and some helpful event resources. Where icons are used, each post’s caption discusses a particular focus or goal of Thrift Up.
could be a little more flexible. Posts included educational or community-driven content, promoting domestic violence resources, advertisements and reminders for upcoming events, and fun, informational spotlights to stir up excitement for the event.
Deliverables
Bringing the Idea to Life
From the very start, it was easy to imagine how various deliverables could be incorporated into this project. From a broad list of possibilities, I narrowed my goals down and started designing.
Packaging
At the very heart of Thrift Up is the classic, thrifty method of stuffing as many clothes and goods as you can into a bag. It felt obvious to design a series of tote bags, which would serve this very purpose, and allow participants to make good use of their merch for a long time.
With multiple “shopping tiers,” there could easily be variations in merchandise design. I especially sensed an opportunity with the tote bag, since Tier Two shoppers were specifically upgrading to a larger bag to fill up at the event. These could be set apart with bold pattern and color application.
Tags and Ticketing
I set out to design a series of tags to accompany the tote bags. To me, these felt like a subtle, but personalized detail that thanked participants for teaming up with a good cause.
I realized I could also design a digital “ticket,” or receipt, that would confirm registration and serve as entrance to the event. Three variations in these retro ticket designs covered all of my bases between Tier One, Tier Two, and shoppers registered with Women Against Abuse, and these simplistic differences in visuals would help streamline the check-in process and ensure that all shoppers received the right supplies.
I thought it would be exciting to re-brand a funky, colorful QR code to make these digital tickets even more functional.
Advertising
One of Women Against Abuse’s struggles with previous events was generating interest from the public and reaching a broader audience in Philadelphia. I felt it was important to highlight such a unique event, and the vitally important non-profit it benefits, with various forms of advertisement around the city to stir up talk and excitement.
Designing the posters proved to be a challenge for me. I needed to rely on the distinct, colorful systems of my brand to grab the attention of passerby's in a busy city, and then hold that attention with strategic copywriting.
In the trial-and-error process of creating these, I ended up designing a series of layouts that better suited printed brochures and handouts. In these advertisements, it would be more practical to include more detailed, relevant information for the event.
… and more!
There were a handful of reasons why this brand was exciting for me to work on, but a large part of it came down to how natural it felt to expand the concept. While working on other elements and final deliverables, new ideas fell into place, one after another.
Thrift Up already features plenty of “fashion” themes, but a classic event takeaway that I couldn’t pass up on was a t-shirt repping the logo. These could be repurposed from recycled t-shirts to compliment the brand’s emphasis on sustainability.
Lastly, I created rounded-square enamel pins that I thought were a nice way to evolve my series of Thrift Up icons into a physical product. These could easily be pinned to a tote bag, a thrifted item, or a Thrift Up t-shirt; otherwise, these pins just serve as an additional, thoughtful keepsake from an event to remember.
These smaller souvenirs would all be packaged nicely in a recycled paper goodie bag, to be handed out to shoppers as they leave the event.
Conclusion
Reflections and Final Thoughts
Thrift Up was an immensely rewarding project for me. On one hand, designing specifically for an event was something new — planning each logistic with a purpose while managing the bigger picture at the same time was a challenge it took some adjusting to.
But more importantly, it felt amazing to design for a cause I felt passionate about. Even though Thrift Up is completely hypothetical, I felt very invested in doing the research and pulling it off properly. The subject matter felt heavy, even exhausting to work with at times, but it put a lot of things into perspective for me. I’m very grateful to have the privilege of designing an event, hypothetical or not, that might ease some of the pressure on survivors of domestic violence, and I’m looking forward to seeing where else I can go with non-profit-oriented design.
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