Another task for my Modes of Publishing class asked us to create our own websites. These websites had to function as informational archives and had to be socially relevant. This is what we came up with.
The Pitch
Imagine… your wardrobe is bursting with fashion items you no longer want or need. Wouldn’t it be great if you could sell these clothes and accessories to people while forming new friendships at the same time? Or do you just simply need a technology that will organize your messy wardrobe for you? That’s where rummage.com.au comes in. Your newest go to destination for archiving your fashion items and selling them to your friends. This website is social networking, op shopping and online auctions all rolled into one. It offers an online space for users to interact with each other and in the process makeover their own wardrobe at a fraction of the retail price.
The Archive
As we can see here, Rummage users can create personal profiles that display a picture of themselves and information such as age, location, number of friends and an about me section. Those who view the profile can befriend the user by clicking the add button. Users upload photos of items they wish to publicize and have to fill out basic information needed for the auction such as item type, brand and size. This is then processed by a Polaroid generator and placed in the shadow box formatted wardrobe seen here. The website will also publish this item in the news feed on the homepage. The user’s friends can then click on the item and be navigated to the user’s profile where they can bid or comment in the comment box. They can also rate each item by giving it a thumb up or a thumb down. The search page offers a simple way to find friends and find specific items, that can be searched categorically by size, style, brand, item type and price range. We have transformed the traditional structure of a fashion blog such as the existing Lookbook website into something more fun, interactive and useful. This is an archive that creates memory and experience.
The Analysis
Our target audience of 15-25 year olds, relies heavily on the phenomena of social networking to communicate with friends, build relationships and generally to organize social lives. People want to be socially accepted by their peers and often use fashion to convey this. Take the well know ‘Goth’ subculture for example. Rummage facilitates this shaping of one’s identity through fashion. Today, we are no longer just passive consumers. We are produsers, a combination of producers and users that challenge authority. Rummage wants to fight the hierarchical nature of retail shopping in a Capitalist culture. No longer do we have to be limited by the shopping centers! We can now buy fashion items of any trend from each other at any time! The site is gaining momentum from the shift in how society perceives recycled fashion. Past trends are now very popular and there has been a massive push in demand for vintage clothing and op-shops such as Vinnies and Grandma Takes a Trip. What makes us stand apart from op-shops is that our website forms networked communities that provide a sense of belonging.
