How I started in fashion: Stylist, editor and co-founder of Secondhand September Bay Garnett
Bay Garnett is a sustainable fashion pioneer. Two decades before the pre-loved fashion movement took hold, Garnett was using pieces she'd thrifted to dress some of the world's most stylish women (including herself) and to mix with designer items to create shoots for British and Italian Vogue.
Her name hit the headlines in 2003, when she styled Kate Moss for a shoot in a $5 banana print top purchased at a New York Cancer Care for a Vogue shoot, along with a pair of Anita Pallenberg's shorts. The top caught the eye of designer Phoebe Philo who, with Garnett's permission, created a sell-out version of it for Chloé, where she was then creative director. The move sealed Garnett's reputation as a global tastemaker.
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In recent years, she has worked closely with charity Oxfam, staging a trailblazing catwalk show at London Fashion Week in 2017 featuring pre-loved clothes found in its shops. The 'Style for Change' Oxfam catwalk show continues to be a regular fixture, and one of the highlights, at London Fashion Week to this day.
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She also worked with the charity to launch the Secondhand September initiative in 2019, which encourages consumers to only shop for pre-loved clothing for the month. The initiative has been instrumental in driving awareness of sustainability issues in fashion and bringing thrifting into the mainstream.
Her book 'Style & Substance: why what we wear matters' was published in 2024 and features a collection of essays decoding the style of some of the world's most interesting dressers from Joan Didion to Jarvis Cocker and Jilly Cooper. The book advocates importance of finding a sense of personal style that is true to yourself.
Bay Garnett with TheIndustry.fashion Award
Last year, Garnett was awarded the Hall of Fame Icon prize at TheIndustry.fashion People Planet & Purpose Awards.
She continues to be one of the most in-demand fashion stylists and commentators working with global fashion and media brands.
Have you always had an interest in fashion? Why does it appeal to you and why did you want to work within it?
I have definitely always had an interest in fashion. I think a passion for clothes may well be something you are born with! I remember looking through the 1970’s fashion books that my mum had when I was little and just poring over the images; just loving them. I think for me my passion for fashion is more about style rather than fashion.
Tell us about your first job in fashion. What drew you to the role? What this experience was like?
My first job in fashion was at a fashion agency in NY called Art Department I was terrible at it! But it meant that I could live in NY. While I was doing the job I would go to the thrift stores in my lunch break, which were incredible back then as second hand was not fashionable at all, and so I found amazing things and became completely obsessed with going. And so the whole time I was in my office job, I was thrifting. Every spare second I had I was thrifting. Every weekend! All weekend! Finding amazing pieces.
What were the most valuable skills or lessons you gained from that first experience?
The most valuable skill I learned was really indirectly - that even though I was in this quite serious office job, I was being pulled to the thing that I loved: thrifting. And I think that is a real lesson that if you have a passion or a hobby you will find a way to do it, and it will give you energy and passion. Stick with it!
Bay Garnett thrifting for treasures
What do you most enjoy about your current role?
I love working on different projects. I enjoy coming up with ideas, depending on what I am working on. It could be a fashion story for a magazine, work with Oxfam and I am currently working on a collaboration with a brand that I am loving doing…
Musician Sam Ryder on the Style for Change catwalk at London Fashion Week styled by Bay Garnett (PA)
If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice at the very start of your career, what would it be - and why?
If I could go back and give myself advice, I would tell her to be confident and believe in herself more. I think a bit of fearlessness and a bucket load of self-confidence is high on the list of good stuff to get on in life. Most of us could do with more of that.
What does the next chapter of your own career look like and how are you hoping to grow from here?
In terms of the next chapter, I am not a great planner but I do have some thoughts up my sleeve, you will be the first to know! I think the main is to keep working and doing the things that interest you.
Has there been a person in fashion that you have always admired and why?
I have always admired [the late actress, artist and model] Anita Pallenberg as she had such fabulous and singular style – she had a huge influence on my thoughts around clothes and style. She made it a game, and I loved thrifting with her.
