Growing up, Sarah Kokkinos’s wardrobe was a mix of her sisters’ hand-me-downs and thrifted finds. “I used to go to Camberwell market a lot,” she tells Broadsheet. “It would require me to take two trains and often I would leave empty-handed, which was a bit sad.”
Looking for a fun solution in 2015, straight after finishing high school, Kokkinos created Hunter Markets – a weekend-only, preloved clothes bazaar inside a bright purple warehouse in Mentone. “I wanted it to be second-hand clothes on a silver platter,” she says. “I never wanted it to be a bothersome sorting process, which is maybe a stigma attached to op shops and the Salvos, where you really have to sift.”
Elevating the traditional second-hand store format with “a safe indoor space, cool change rooms and cool music”, at Hunter Markets shoppers can buy on-trend clothes and accessories from the wardrobes of social-media influencers and other fashionable folk within the community.
Years on, Kokkinos’s own closet is still almost entirely thrifted – often from the market. If you’re heading down, you’ll often see the young entrepreneur in outfits splashed with bold prints, plenty of colour and usually a story behind them.
What’s your definition of a good work wardrobe?
This is hard because I’m not really a corporate girly, but when I go to work at the market I like my outfit to stand out, and I definitely love wearing something thrifted. I like it to be loud and comfortable, which is really [important] because I’m probably on my feet from seven in the morning, talking to people and running around.
What does an average workday look like for you?
I work on the weekends and start my day around five in the morning. I head to the market to help all of our girls set up and do our socials. We then open to the public and at the end [of the day] it’s packing down [time]. During the weekdays, there’s a lot of admin like posting on socials, accepting stallholders and responding to emails.
Do you have a go-to item in your wardrobe that you associate with a good or productive day at work?
I would probably say a bumbag, like a Poppy Lissiman micro bag, because people just ask me for stuff all day, so most of the time I’m wearing something over my body. Another thing [I need is] pockets.
How would describe your personal style?
I would say it’s all over the shop. I don’t really put myself in one box because I like to follow a lot of aesthetics and not fit into just one – I do try to block out the noise of [trends]. I wear more colour and not neutrals, and I like things that bring me joy or have stories behind them. Ninety per cent of the time I’d wear a thrifted outfit and then a designer handbag.
What’s your most beloved item of clothing?
A big factor of the market is the influencers that come in. One that we love working with is Maxine Wylde – her style is very colourful and fun. I have a beautiful mesh dress with sequined butterflies on it that I bought from her at the market, and I don’t think I’ll ever let go of it.
How do you shop and what are some of your favourite labels?
About 90 per cent of my wardrobe is thrifted mainly at the market. I shop by scanning the racks for prints and something really loud. If I do see something really fun that I would purchase, my philosophy is “How many wears will I get out of it?” or “How many ways can I style it?” [When I do buy something new], I love Australian designers like Camilla & Marc, Aje and Viktoria & Woods.
What are your tips and tricks for thrifting?
Go in with an open mind and take your time to really sort through things. Another one is looking through all genders. I always check out the men’s section, and I know a lot of girls look at the children’s section for baby tees. Or in the lingerie section you’ll maybe find some kind of vintage corset.
Do you have any favourite skincare or make-up products?
I’ve gone through several bottles of the Tatcha Camellia cleansing oil. It’s non-stripping and gets rid of all my make-up. I also love Tula's The Cult Classic cleanser. I double cleanse with this bad boy for a deeper clean. I use the DMK Seba-E hydrating oil every day. It’s a lightweight facial oil that easily absorbs into the skin. For make-up, I love Rare Beauty's liquid blush in the shade Joy and the Mecca Max Whip Lash Tubing mascara – it can go all day at the market and it won’t flake. Other favourites are MCO Beauty's brow laminate and the Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Beautiful Skin foundation.
This article first appeared in Domain Review, in partnership with Broadsheet.
For a look inside the wardrobe of more fashionable folk head to our Work Uniform series.
