Student entrepreneurs utilize ‘thrifting’ passion with vintage clothing pop-up

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Alex Coba

Brian Luong and Matteo pose within a frame at the opening event for Second Bloom Supply.

We all wear clothes. They are a core part of our identity, but where did you get your clothes from?

Like most people, we probably got our clothes new, from a department store. Second Bloom Supply wants to change that.

Second Bloom Supply is a clothing reseller started by two Chico State students who wanted to make a change to the fashion industry. 

At their first pop-up on Saturday, Feb. 15, Second Bloom Supply set up to show Chico that fresh looks don’t need to come from major department stores. Looking through their clothing racks, bright snow jackets and worn denim shirts caught my eye. After looking at a bin of vintage jerseys, I met with co-owner Brian Luong.

“We’ve just been talking about (Second Bloom Supply) since November, me and my friend, Matteo, both really like clothes and we had a lot of it, and we like thrifting and being sustainable in general,” Luong said. 

Luong and Matteo Mazzella’s passion for thrifting has taken them all over the state in search of clothes for Second Bloom Supply. Mazzella explained they drive as far as Portland for vintage clothes to resell.

“It’s worth it, it makes people happy,” Mazzella said. “Clothing has been my passion since I was born … I love how me giving another person a piece of clothing and the way that piece of clothing makes them feel. It’s better than anything.”

Their passion for thrifting isn’t their only motivation. Second Bloom Supply is about something greater: giving clothes another opportunity to be worn and appreciated. 

“We live in an age where we got to be using clothing, because the textile industry produces 80 tons of clothing every year,” Mazzella said. “That’s a lot of clothes that we don’t need. I’m definitely going to make my life mission to make the planet a better place, at least with clothes.”

Helping work the pop-up shop was Chico State student Cumbia Padilla. Not only did Padilla donate some of her clothes for the event, she helped answer any questions about Second Bloom Supply. 

“Brian and Matteo really wanted to start this idea because they have a passion about sustainability and feel like there isn’t a lot of good options to buy fashionable, cool, affordable clothing,” Padilla said.

Second Bloom Supply plans on hosting one pop-up shop a month. To get in touch with Second Bloom Supply, visit their Instagram, @secondbloomsupply. There, you can see the latest inventory and information on the next pop-up.

Elijah Ewing can be reached at [email protected]