Why veteran actresses behind Pasar Glamour charity bazaar are shutting down for good

Shopaholics and lovers of vintage luxury goods will be crushed to know that charity bazaar Pasar Glamour is back, but holding its final edition on Oct 5 and 6 at Enabling Village.

The annual pop-up bazaar that retails donated, second-hand designer goods was founded by theatre practitioners Janice Koh, 50, and Pam Oei, 52, as well as former radio DJ Petrina Kow, 48, in 2017. It went on hiatus after a 2021 edition held at pre-loved luxury marketplace Huntstreet Singapore.

No one is happier about the end of Pasar Glamour than Oei. Each edition had been “the last one” for her, say partners Koh and Kow drolly.

Later, when Kow ruminates on where they can “take this next”, Oei interjects: “No, no, we’re not taking this anywhere. We’re going to be normal friends after this – have meals, play mahjong, go for walks.”

When the laughter subsides, she adds: “Don’t forget we have to run our normal lives when doing this. It doesn’t come to a halt.”

Running Pasar Glamour has taken a toll on all three working mothers. Oei is active in theatre as a director and actress; Kow is a voice coach; and Koh, who co-chairs theatre company Wild Rice and sits on the board of the Singapore International Film Festival, acts and is involved in corporate training.

The scale of the work cannot be underestimated, says Koh.

“From the preparation of the sale to the marketing and publicity, and to venue partnership, collecting donations and logistics, it’s run purely on the backs of volunteers.”

For each edition, there is a team of eight volunteers, including the founders.

“Three of us take on about 80 per cent of the work,” Koh says, taking a beat before adding: “And that’s fine – when you’re young and full of vitality.”

The bazaar was on pause the last two years, after the women faced personal health challenges.

Kow was diagnosed with Stage 2 nasopharyngeal cancer in December 2020. She completed treatment and recovered well enough to proceed with Pasar Glamour’s 2021 sale. Not long after, Koh was diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2022.

For all its rewards, organising the event was stressful, says Koh. “The desire to protect my own physical and mental health told me that this season was coming to an end.”

The trio had considered making a silent exit with the event – until October 2023.

One of the bazaar’s regular volunteers, Ms Tay Shan Min, who had been in and out of remission for nasopharyngeal cancer, died that month. A vivacious lover of fashion and make-up, the former communications professional bequeathed a sizeable portion of her designer wardrobe to Pasar Glamour.

“When we saw it, we were like, okay, I guess this means we have to do a sale,” says Kow.

The coincidence of the final sale as a homage to a friend who died of cancer is not lost on them. Pasar Glamour had started as a way to honour and respectfully rehome the clothing left behind by close friend and fellow actress Emma Yong, who died from stomach cancer in 2012 at the age of 37.

“In a way, our bookend sales, first and last, have so much to do with a good friend offering their cherished clothes to us,” says Koh.

It was an uphill battle preparing for this finale. They faced challenges aplenty – from finding a physical space to manpower to ensuring enough wares for shoppers.

The boom in pre-loved luxury in recent years has been double-edged. While it improved the perception of second-hand goods, it also led to an explosion of competing thrifting events and a dwindling supply of donations.

Koh recalls how in the early editions before the pandemic, women readily gave up their luxury bags for free to make space in their wardrobes.

“But people now have more options to resell, and may think twice about whether they want to be so generous as to give us their Chanels. Plus, our immediate network is running out of handbags,” she adds.

Swan song

Finding venues to store the donations and hold the sale has also been tough. They were offered a shophouse space – for $37,000 over four weeks, Kow deadpans.

But when that door closed, a window opened to a three-way partnership which the founders describe as “win-win-win”.

Mutual connections led them to their venue sponsor Enabling Village and partner Minds. Enabling Village is an inclusive community space for people with disabilities, while Minds empowers the development and aspirations of persons with intellectual disabilities.

The founders paid Minds to gainfully employ persons with intellectual disabilities to help sort, steam and tag clothes – a more meaningful collaboration than simply donating a lump sum, says Kow.

“They’re exceptionally hard-working and meticulous. We got their manpower support and they benefited from the employment – it was a good way to show people that workers like them are available for your shop or organisation.”

And it has been a hoot watching the six to eight individuals, who are all men, get to work.

“Usually, we have an all-women volunteer team who, when sorting clothes, will say ‘oh, this is so nice’. But for our Minds team, whether it’s Love, Bonito or Louis Vuitton, it’s all the same to them. Just steam and hang,” says Koh.

“After a while, there were the star steamers and taggers,” jokes Kow.

While smaller than previous years’, this year’s sale will include pre-loved designer handbags – the likes of Fendi, Celine and Bottega Veneta – mostly under $500, pristine shoes from Hermes and Gucci, as well as Singapore labels such as The Missing Piece. Local celebrities Kym Ng and Rebecca Lim have also donated pieces.

Proceeds will continue to support charities from previous editions – Arc Children’s Centre, the Association of Women for Action and Research and youth-focused Limitless – as well as the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund.

In addition to pre-loved goods, three social enterprises – Journey by Touch, Singapore Fashion Runway and Art:Dis Studio – will set up booths selling fashion items designed by persons with disabilities.

It is bittersweet, but the trio want to leave on a high. In the seven years, they raised close to half a million dollars in total, which went to helping more than 200 individuals and 18 organisations.

Their contributions to the arts sector led to Pasar Glamour receiving four Friend of the Arts awards – which recognises contributions between $10,000 and $49,999 to the development of the arts – from the National Arts Council.

Beyond the awards, what has been most rewarding was being able to give to those in need, at scale.

“We were able to raise funds from nothing. These were things that were already in existence in someone’s wardrobe,” says Koh. “By just persuading people to give them to us, and our efforts, we were able to donate to children with cancer, women’s causes, the arts, migrant workers and persons with disabilities.”

“As freelance arts practitioners, there would be no way we could donate $100,000 a year. But for two months in a year, if we were willing to sweat it out with like-minded people who don’t mind lending us their time and effort, we can make a difference in the philanthropic area of our choice,” she adds.

Oei’s proudest milestone in the journey was the 2019 event held at National Design Centre – their biggest physical sale that involved collaborating with local designers and demonstrated the “amount of coming together we had to do”.

Likewise, Kow will miss “the magic of people coming together” most.

“The joy of community and the good that we could do was extremely fulfilling. (Other organisations) have a ready force of thousands of staff; we don’t. So for us to have done this for seven years and to raise the amount that we have based on sheer will is really something to be proud of.”

Founders’ picks

1. Diorette ring in white gold with gemstones (Size 5)

2. Hermes black suede loafers with silver-tone round studs and low block heels (Size 37)

In excellent condition, going for $500 to $600.

3. Fendi Dotcom smooth black leather shoulder bag with lace-up and spike stud detailing

In pristine condition. Includes sling, dustbag and original receipt. Going for under $1,000.

Info: Pasar Glamour will be held on Oct 5 and 6, 11am to 6pm, at UOB Ability Hub @ Enabling Village, 20 Lengkok Bahru. Go to @pasarglamour on Instagram for details

This article was originally published in The Straits Times.