Fashion Editor Fionnuala Egan has a chat with Dee, owner of stalwart Temple Bar thrift store Lucy’s Lounge, about social media, up-cycling and 30 years of trading.
The bright pink building at 11 Fownes Street, Temple Bar, is a shock beside its neutral, brick neighbours. The basement houses Lucy’s Lounge, “a vintage wonderland” just five minutes walk away from Trinity’s Front Arch. Venturing down into this treasure trove is always a treat. There are two large rooms – a thrift room and a trend led vintage room – each packed to bursting with an eclectic mix of unique clothing and accessories. Here, clothes are upcycled to give them a new life and you can expect to find everything from pastel coloured flouncy dresses and glamorous animal print fur coats to the perfect pair of round shades.
The shop’s mission is to create a “relaxed and friendly atmosphere” where customers can make new friends and find “wonderful and affordable clothes”. Indeed, the one-off pieces can often come in at as little as €10, making this an ideal destination for students. Senior Freshman European Studies student Áine Clarke agrees, paying homage to their cool leather bags and slouchy flannel shirts. For her, Lucy’s Lounge has “everything you’d ever need to release your inner festival hippie”. The lavish flower crowns which popped up over the summer are a case in point, as are the shimmering sequined crop tops.
Senior Sophister European Studies student Brian Donnelly describes himself as “a big fan” of the store. He frequently goes in to browse and finds the staff to be “so lovely and helpful”. This definitely rings true. The staff at Lucy’s Lounge are always friendly and enthusiastic in their mission to ensure every customer finds something great. Donnelly’s favourite is “a gorgeous antique and druid inspired cape”, a staple of his wardrobe.
The shop was originally known as SeSi and was founded in 1987. It moved to its current location, just around the corner from the Central Bank, in February 2009. They have a strong following on social media and often feature chic customers on their Instagram. A recent Facebook post, however, strikes a more serious note. The founder of the store, Dee, states that she has decided to close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. She doesn’t want to “become a tax collector working [her] heart out just to pay even more taxes” though emphasising her love for the shop, the clothes and her customers. She ends the post by promising that the “wonderful delights” that Lucy’s Lounge is famed for are not going anywhere. The post racked up over 630 likes.
Tn2 caught up with Dee, who will celebrate 30 years trading this year, to find out a little bit more about this intriguing shop.
Can you tell me about the founding of Lucy’s Lounge, or SéSí as it was then known?
SeSi was set up on 13 November, 1987. It was Friday the 13th, lucky or what? It was born from love and obsession; seeking and finding a place to belong. After spending many years in London with various market stalls I decided to come home to nasty Dublin: a place with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Dublin was not as it is now. It was like a garden where nothing grew and all the young just left or wanted to leave. No one tended the garden and if a poppy grew, it was quickly neglected and torn out. The culture was closed, there was no encouragement for new ideas. I was the weirdo wearing the mad clothes in the crazy shop. I was often asked why I didn’t get a proper job or go on the dole.
How have things changed over the years?
I became very ambitious and ended up with 5 shops, one in London, and events on a weekly basis in nightclubs. Dublin changed and the new generation had more influence. Now at 51, I am trying to slow down. I just have one shop. It is a labour of love. It is still about the constant search for that one perfect dress.
Is social media a good tool for the brand?
I love social media. It is perfect for a small business and I talk to people from all over the world. I do Instagram and Facebook. It is very time consuming and addictive though, and I’m not great at the technical side of things.
Who is Lucy?
A friendly name.
Who works here now – what is the team like?
Mainly Dandelion and me. I love Dandelion. She is a queen; beautiful inside and out, full of love and delightfulness. Just looking at her is my pleasure. She’s funny too. Then there’s Jenny, a Saturday girl who always looks amazing. Max who works on Sundays; he is our media guiding light. Plus my husband Rory who’s a real nark and moans when we ask him to do repairs. It takes him 3 months to do it. He does the sewing as well. He really should be in a museum. Then there’s people we occasionally commission to do art work or other things.
Where do you source your clothes?
Constantly traveling, searching and hunting. I travel the world and the seven seas. I’m off to London and Berlin in the next few weeks.
Tell me about the up-cycling process and the crafts you do?
I hate waste. Why throw out beautiful garments just because the design is bad? At the moment we are just making headbands because I have about fifty items that I want upcycled and we don’t have the time for anything else. Our clothes are one-off pieces made for “peacock dressers”. They sell well with tourists, often those in the performance industry. I bring items to my favorite shop in Hackney, London for them to sell as well.
Can you walk us through the sections of Lucy’s Lounge?
Lucy’s is the inside of a pleasantly disturbed mind. There are sections but mainly a lot of madness – that’s where the magic is.
What kind of customers shop in Lucy’s Lounge?
Very very very special people.
What makes your clothes so special?
I am a rag dealer. I sell the things people don’t want anymore and there lies the fascination. Something that someone discards and abandons is someone else’s treasure.
I’ve noticed you offer work experience here – what has that experience been like?
I love the work experience kids, especially Transition Year students. What a magical time of life, full of innocence and enthusiasm. They give a lot and we give a lot. We listen to them and they learn from us. A fair exchange. Sometimes they come back years later and we hear how they got on.
What would you love to see for Lucy’s Lounge in the future?
To keep finding beautiful things. To keep going [despite having] a government that is against micro-business and has turned into [a group of] tax collectors. We are coming into a world of no work for some people. They should be supporting micro-business. Instead, they hinder us. Mostly though, to enjoy every day more and more.
Photographs by Rachel Graham
