Faces of Sustainable Fashion: Mackenzie Wavryk & Ira Hemond

Sustainable fashion lovers in Victoria will be delighted with the fashion forward selection offered at this community minded consignment shop.

Upcycle Clothing Collective is headed up by a couple who share a love for style and creating inclusive community spaces.

Mackenzie Wavryk is Upcycle’s founder, curator and creative director, while her partner, Ira Hemond, is the chief operating officer. Wavryk comes from a competitive figure skating background, and started a consignment business with her mother in 2019. For a while, she continued to coach and compete in skating on the side. Then, Wavryk’s mother was bought out in 2021 and Hemond was welcomed to the team, marking the beginning of what Upcycle is today.

They’ve created a retail experience that transcends the typical clothing boutique. You won’t find distinct gendered sections, but racks sorted by colour and item. You’ll find all the trench coats together in one place, leather jackets in another, and so on.

The mission they set out with since the beginning was to have people express themselves however they choose.

“I wanted fashion to be taken in as it is— a way to express yourself and express your individuality, regardless of what other people may say about you wearing a masculine top or feminine pants. I really want people in Victoria to feel safe shopping with us,” Wavryk says.

They encourage shoppers to have an “immersive experience” because, after all, “In this world of secondhand and sustainable fashion, there's only one of everything.”

“We really want you to have an immersive experience when you walk in and try to let go of those barriers where you're concerned about size or style, and just kind of shop around for things that catch your eye,” says Wavryk.

For both Wavryk and Hemond, one of the things they love the most about their business is connecting with people. She loves to compliment what customers have picked out, and chat about what would look good with the clothing, creating a positive moment in their day and making it inviting to shop secondhand.

“A lot of people find it daunting, so I love to bridge that gap between making it a really great environment and being able to connect through expressing yourself,” Wavryk says. “We're welcoming and friendly, and we're trying to build community connections with people, whether you're here to shop with us or are just hanging out.”

“I have a good memory for faces. I love when people come back and I can surprise them by recognizing them,” Hemond adds. “People love to be acknowledged. When I'm able to create that in the shop, I find that very rewarding.” Hemond says that community is a “really big word” for the team at Upcycle, because they actually do a lot more than just sell clothes.

They’ve worked with local designers to do pop-ups, and they also allow their space to be used to host all kinds of workshops and events, all in the name of fostering human connection.

“We collaborate with the community to have dance parties, we celebrate, we bring them in for shopping events. We’re even having a birthday party here soon,” Hemond elaborates. “For us to be a part of the community, and accept their consignment clothes, we wanted to be able to provide a space where people know, ‘Yes, these people are here doing this for us, not to make a ton of money.’"

One of the best things about shopping consignment is that it creates a kind of circular economy. When you put your items up for consignment, the shop doesn’t buy them from you up front. The clothing is put on the floor and when it sells you make a cut of profit. Wavryk and Hemond say that this creates a really positive exchange, because not only does the sale go back into the pockets of their patrons, it also goes into a local store whose aim is to benefit the community.

“We’re really grateful for the team that we have and the consignors that we have,” Wavryk and Hemond say. “We would not be here today without them. They have been coming back for the last four years and they’ve supported us through every transition and just love shopping with Upcycle.”