CLOSWAP, the student-born fashion startup on a mission to make secondhand the default, has opened the doors to its first permanent store in Finsbury — a major step forward for the grassroots brand that began with a single clothing rail and a cardboard sign.
It’s the latest chapter in a remarkable story of how three university students — tired of waiting for the fashion industry to change — decided to create their own solution. What started as a spontaneous swap experiment on Brick Lane has evolved into one of the UK’s most talked-about circular fashion brands.
CLOSWAP’s model is refreshingly simple. Walk into the store, bring your pre-loved pieces, and receive an offer — either in cash or store credit — on the spot. It’s a physical experience that ditches the hassle of apps, uploads, and waiting for sales.
The trio behind CLOSWAP — Maria Remy, Peter Zakhar, and Dominik Vesely — struck a nerve with their no-fuss approach to sustainable fashion. Their “Swap your outfit with a stranger” sign went viral, leading to a tidal wave of interest from students across the country.
“We had to run up to three events a day,” said Remy, now CLOSWAP’s marketing lead, recalling the whirlwind of demand that followed. The team quickly scaled up, enlisting help and staging over 45 pop-ups at universities like UCL, UAL and King’s College, as well as with major student housing providers such as Scape and Chapter.
The impact? More than 20,000 garments re-circulated, and an estimated 72,900kg of CO₂ and 54.7 million litres of water saved — proof that small swaps can lead to big change.
Recognition has followed. CLOSWAP took home the Mayor of London’s Entrepreneur Award in 2024, won Startup of the Year at the British Business Awards, and was recently named Best Innovative Clothing Platform at the Global Leaders & Business Awards 2025.
But the Finsbury store isn’t just about buying and selling clothes. It’s become a weekly hotspot for community and creativity. Thursday evenings are transformed into “CLOSWAP Thursdays”, complete with live DJs, spontaneous tattoos, and a loyal following. “We’re not just another thrift shop,” Remy said. “We’re building a brand people feel part of.”
On the tech front, CLOSWAP is levelling up. Its app — described as “Tinder for clothes” — is being upgraded with AI to suggest style matches, and there are plans to add blockchain integration, transforming garments into trackable, tradeable assets. “We want clothes to have liquidity,” Remy added.
Now, with new funding from UAE and international investors, the brand is gearing up for a bold new phase — a U.S. expansion, with New York and Los Angeles in its sights.
To follow the journey or get involved, visit www.closwap.com.
