A free pop-up clothing store for women turned heads in Woolloomooloo in February, in a possible first for the Ozanam Learning Centre, which offers opportunities for expression, inclusion, access, and connection.

“Women who attend the OLC expressed a desire and we decided to give it a try,” Christopher Stevens, Volunteer Coordinator, said. “The participant community also came up with the name of ‘Butterfly Clothing Pop-Up’.”

The call out for donations was responded to generously, including from community members themselves, enhancing the sustainability of the initiative.

Eating the Elephant is a support group at the OLC for people living with the effects of hoarding and squalor and many of the participants with women’s apparel generously donated their surplus items for the Pop-Up.

Collaborations between volunteers from multiple services underpinned the Women’s Fashion Pop-Up’s runaway success.

International fashion designer Charlie Brown, an “It” designer of the ’90s, and regular volunteer at Matthew Talbot Hostel, loaned her fabric finesse to the Society’s own house of style.

Brown regularly dressed celebrities, from Vanessa Amorosi to Jade Jagger, starting her eponymous fashion house before selling it to Myer.

Vincentian House’s own fashion maven and volunteer, Bev Lester, provided invaluable experience from having run a similar women’s fashion activity at the Homelessness service in Surry Hills.

The Ozanam Learning Centre’s suite of programs are broad and responsive to community need, including hands on programs in cooking and gardening, creativity in music, art, writing and theatre, recovery programs such as SMART Recovery and Narcotics Anonymous, and life skills and social programs.

The OLC proudly serves the large community of men resident at the Matthew Talbot Hostel next door and also ensures equity of access to OLC services among women in the community, with special events, such as a regular women’s lunch and discussion group.

Through word of mouth, there were many new women visiting the OLC, who were able to see the many educational and engagement opportunities on offer. The ‘Butterfly Clothing Pop-Up’ has been a great addition to the suite of initiatives based on building a stronger, more cohesive and resilient community.

By Christopher Stevens