Swish looks for free as mall hosts charity fashion swap

The eight-hour “swish” gave women a chance to revamp their wardrobes free of charge, with all left-over garments then being donated to charity.

According to a study carried out by shopping channel QVC, the average woman only wears about 20 per cent of her clothes and has an average of 22 garments in her wardrobe which she never wears, but refuses to throw away.

Bethanie Lunn, fashion and beauty expert at Meadowhall, said: “Swishing is becoming more and more popular as women realise that they can revitalise their wardrobes guilt-free and get rid of clothes that they know they will never wear again.

“More than that, it is also a great social occasion and most people stay for a lot longer than they would in the shops, chatting and browsing the clothes.

“There’s no pressure to buy, so everyone goes home with clothes that they genuinely love.”

All proceeds and unswapped clothes are to be donated to the charity Helen’s Trust, which works to enable those with terminal illnesses to have the choice to stay in their own homes. The charity is named in memory of Helen Astley, who died in 2001.