Students leaving Gelman Library on Friday walked straight into a flea market in Kogan Plaza, where more than 20 vendors lined the quad selling vintage sweatshirts, upcycled denim and handmade jewelry as music played, and students stopped between classes to browse.
The GW Fashion Business Association partnered with D.C.-based pop-up marketplace Get Flee to host the event, a collaboration that ran annually for over three-and-a-half years before transitioning last year to a once-per-semester schedule. Proceeds from the market fund FBA’s spring publication, The George, and the event highlights how students are shaping a growing campus fashion community focused on sustainability, local businesses and personal style.
FBA Co-Vice President Isabella Kelly, a senior majoring in international business and Chinese, said her longtime interest in vintage shopping led her to partner with Get Flee after meeting co-founder Darius Stanton at a Georgetown flea market during her first year. Kelly has since spearheaded the partnership, organizing more than six pop-up events on campus that spotlight local vendors and give GW students direct access to vintage and upcycled clothing — work she said she enjoys.
“I love vintage clothing. It’s the best way to find really interesting and unique pieces,” Kelly said. “That was kind of my really exciting aspect about Get Flee.”
Kelly said Stanton curates most of the vendors, which makes each event feel distinct and gives GW students access to clothing they would not typically find in traditional retail settings. She added that the event showcases a range of fashion interests while helping students engage with sustainable fashion.
“We have a lot of great vendors,” Kelly said. “They’re all curated by [Stanton], but he always brings in a lot of really interesting, curated vendors.”
Stanton, who co-founded Get Flee in 2020 to support small businesses and promote sustainability through fashion-focused events, said the organization sets itself apart by carefully curating each market with its audience in mind. He said the team selects vendors based on how their style and products will resonate with attendees, particularly students. For the GW event, Stanton said he aimed to attract a younger, college-aged crowd, including students from nearby universities.
“We’re doing the marketing and flyer material,” Stanton said. “We’re choosing and selecting all the vendors, and all the new pieces really kind of help bring it together as cohesively as possible, which is what I think makes us stand apart. We’re very involved in the inspiration of the entire experience, and just make sure that it’s successful but also that it’s meeting the audience to target.”
Stanton described Get Flee as a “vendor-first” organization that prioritizes building relationships with small businesses and encouraging them to return for future events. He said the markets often help vendors grow their brands, with some going on to host their own events across D.C.
“A lot of vendors from our market have transitioned to starting their own markets in different parts of D.C.,” Stanton said. “And I think the inspiration as well as the success is inspiring for folks, so I would say one building a community. I think we built such a strong community that folks really look forward to seeing returning vendors and almost, you know, as friends, now and then.”
Stanton said Get Flee partnered with the FBA because both groups emphasize sustainability, creativity and community. He said college campuses provide a good environment for these markets as students seek out trend-driven, social experiences and form connections with vendors who share their interest in locally sourced fashion.
“College students are the perfect space to not only inspire people’s fashion experience but also a place that people can come together and feel like they’re growing together,” Stanton said. “So I think it’s a perfect place for community.”
FBA President Keja Ferguson, a senior studying business and marketing, said the organization initially partnered with Get Flee because of its established presence and extensive network of local vendors, which FBA wanted to introduce to a college audience. She said FBA also recruits its own vendors through social media and provides students opportunities to sell their own items.
“It felt like a natural fit to bring their network onto a college campus and kind of introduce them to a new audience,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson said while D.C. is not a city that is huge on fashion, it’s “growing” into one with people becoming more aware of sustainability efforts regarding fashion and new fashion store openings. She said students come to their marketplaces for different reasons, whether it be because they’re into sustainability, fashion or fashion publications.
“Students genuinely love the event because it’s something they look forward to, and it also creates a really unique shopping experience, especially in the heart of our campus,” Ferguson said. “It feels a little bit more personal and intentional than traditional retail.”
Anna Sophia Feher, a first-year majoring in international affairs, said she often walked past the pop-up flea market in Kogan but rarely had time to stop. She said her schedule on Friday gave her a rare chance to shop, rekindling her enjoyment of thrifting even after taking a break from it over the past few years.
“The weather’s nice, so everybody is very positive and much more willing to spend money,” Feher said.
Sophomore Rio Malito, who studies psychology and organizational science, said she thrifts regularly, enjoying unique pieces while shopping sustainably. She added that GW students show a strong interest in fashion, standing out from larger universities where casual wear dominates.
“My two best friends both go to state schools. I’ve been to their schools, and everybody’s in sweatpants. Everybody’s in sweatshirts,” Malito said. “You go out to class here, people are in dresses, people are in skirts. Especially in the spring, I really feel the need to dress up.”