As seen in Boulder Lifestyle Magazine
Hi Friends,
Madison here, Co-Founder & Creative Director at Apocalypse, popping in with some exciting news! Last month, I penned an article for Boulder Lifestyle Magazine all about the amazing characters in our resale community who have truly inspired me. These creative change-makers are all about secondhand, community, and making a difference. Read on for the full story, and thank you for being the heartbeat of the secondhand movement. Apocalypse wouldn’t be what it is without you. xo
Photography by Kelsey Huffer at Poppy & Co.
I find it immensely comforting to walk down Pearl Street and encounter the same warm, familiar faces year after year. One of the things I love most about the Boulder Lifestyle is the sense of intimacy in this community. Growing up in Boulder, I took this for granted—and I had to move away, then return, to understand how meaningful the felt sense of community is here. It was a motivator for creating a business that relies on community collaboration to thrive.
In (dun-dun-dun) 2020, when both Crossroads and Buffalo Exchange closed, I was heartbroken. Yes, it was devastating that I’d have no secondhand stores to buy, sell and trade with. Yet mostly I was struck by the tragedy that I’d have little to no exposure to beloved characters in the community that are as committed to the secondhand lifestyle as I am.
Feeling a kinship with these folks made me feel less alone. I felt I had allies in my devotion to slowing the climate crisis. I felt my artistry as a stylist, reflected in their enthusiasm for their own stylistic expression. I saw their resourcefulness as a reminder of my calling to champion ethical consumption. Grief flooded me as I was struck by the fact that I might lose this sense of belonging.
The alchemy of this heartbreak, and my hope for the future of our planet, was the catalyst for creating Apocalypse. My intent was to create a communal space where people could come experiment with their creativity and connect with others who were also exploring identity through their wardrobe. Recycling old outfits, ultimately old parts of ourselves, to try on a new look that’s fresh and expansive. A place to reincarnate our past selves and our old clothes simultaneously.
Here we are in 2024 and our resale community in Boulder is stronger than ever. Three buy-sell-trades have opened up within blocks of Apocalypse over the past two years! Our local secondhand economy is thriving because of this collaborative community, who are co-creating a future worthy of our descendants. One that is centered on inclusion, remedying the climate crisis through conscious consumption, and expressing our creativity through all aspects of our humanity.
So, I want to introduce you to some folks in this community who inspire me! They’re secondhand mavens and magicians, lifelong devotees of personal expression. Some I met 10 years ago in the checkout line at Common Threads, and some I’m just getting to know in the aisles of Apocalypse. They are fixtures in the community, style icons, thought leaders, change-makers and joy bringers. I hope you’re as inspired as I am by their creativity, resourcefulness and iconic sense of style!
