G(end)er Swap is is the first LGBTIQ+ clothing outreach organisation that supports trans and gender non-conforming individuals to access clothes and community via style workshops, pop ups and consultancy. We chatted with founder Santi Sorrenti about the inspo behind the business, the highs and lows of running it and what's in store for the future.
What inspired you to create G(end)er Swap?
What makes you different from other clothing swap initiatives?
G(end)er Swap started off as a clothes swap initiative in 2017 but since then, it has evolved into a clothing outreach organisation. G(end)er Swap doesn’t only put on clothes swap events, but we also deliver style support services: workshops to learn how to find your personal sense of style, how to up-cycle your clothes or how to apply makeup. G(end)er Swap is the first and only style outreach organisation of its kind in the UK (and Europe). Our mission is to support trans and gender non-conforming individuals to find clothes and community while equipping the wider LGBTIQ+ community with the creative knowledge to put together their own gender affirming wardrobe with a sustainable and anti-mainstream approach.
What do you think it is about your brand that resonates with your audience?
G(end)er Swap is very much anti- fashion as it promotes the idea that there is no such thing as something being ‘in’ or ‘out’ of style. We also maintain that any gender can wear whatever they want and that expressing yourself doesn’t have to be expensive, ‘trendy’ or fit into any particular (gender) norm. The fashion world is an intimidating place that doesn’t prioritise LGBTIQ+ bodies or experiences and so G(end)er Swap provides a safe alternative for gender-diverse audiences to explore their expression -free of judgment and with inclusive resources. G(end)er Swap is also a community building initiative and very much a share economy in which community members exchange style knowledge, clothes and other skills between each other at events and across our online platforms. Our brand really invites everyone in to participate. This non-hierarchical approach really resonates with our audiences. I think also G(end)er Swap is fun, quirky and a bit fringe in its approach to (DIY) style: neon orange branding, quirky style hack videos and events that push the usual queer event blueprint – this is compelling to a lot of our followers.
Do you have any tips for other brands wanting to connect on a deeper level with their audiences?
Include your audiences in the work that you do. Platform other voices besides your own and really think ‘outside the box’ in terms of what content you are delivering. Particularly on social media, we sometimes feel coerced into following a particular online trend thinking that it is the only way to draw audiences in. I really recommend you focus on your own unique rhetoric, visual media and resources that don’t just mimic the information that’s already out there.
Accessibility is also a big factor. To connect on a deeper level to your audiences it’s important that you are relatable, affordable and in touch with current issues. Your audiences want to see that you are a ‘real’ person too and that you have factored in diverse experiences and identities into your work. With pride season arriving this is particularly important! Don’t just slap a rainbow flag on an Instagram infographic but create spaces for folks to thrive, share their knowledge and feel part of something big.
Tell us a bit more about the types of events G(end)er Swap have put on in the past and the kind you want to put on in the future
What's the biggest challenge you've overcome with running your own biz?
How do you like to relax and Align yourself as a biz owner?
What's the big dream for G(end)er Swap?
Check out G(end)er Swap on Instagram here, and head to their website at https://genderswap.org/.
