Bean By Jess

Jessica Read, life-long fashion enthusiast and founder of Bean By Jess, explains that as a child she “spent hours on fashion websites such as Polyvore and Stardoll” and spent days “browsing different charity shops” with her mum- making it no surprise that her carefully curated vintage store has flourished into nothing short of an online empire since its creation in 2019. What initially began as a solution to address the piles of clothes that Jess had accumulated through her love for vintage shopping, quickly gained attraction of shoppers online and became a full-time job. 

At the time of launch, Jess was undertaking her studies for a Bachelor Degree of Communications and Media and although she had no clear direction for her post-degree career, hoped that it could be something fashion related. It was during her degree when Jess began learning more about the fashion industry and the many effects that it can have on the planet- studying pressing issues such as trend cycles, ethical practises and the impacts that social media can have on the fashion industry. 

From here, she completed a few short internships but ultimately “decided to take the leap of faith and commit to selling second-hand clothes online.” Amazingly, Jess’ shop has been her first and only full-time job ever since which she explains “is pretty crazy to think about since I am now in my mid-twenties.”

At the beginning, Jess’ stock was sourced through charity shopping, however after her shop began significantly growing, so did her need to gather larger quantities of gorgeous vintage stock. Jess explains that “we had to get creative in sourcing stock. But with the amount of used clothing out there in the world, it’s just a matter of connecting with the right people.” Now, Bean By Jess’ stock is still always handpicked by Jess herself but is instead supplied by wholesalers worldwide, as “the great thing about fashion and trends is that there are no geographical boundaries and in terms of sourcing, I find it to be quite intuitive! I love choosing things that are on trend and timeless, yet unique and a little bit different.”

Since Bean By Jess’ launch almost six years ago, Jess reflects that “wearing second-hand clothing was certainly not as normalised as it is today”. Thankfully, over recent years, a wave in interest surrounding vintage fashion has circulated; reiterating the theory that fashion trends always circle back around. By buying second-hand, shoppers are allowing these trend cycles to harmlessly live-on whilst not contributing to any further fashion pollution or wastage. 

Jess adds that “Shopping second-hand is genuinely so easy. If affordability is your concern, you can find amazing pieces just by browsing through charity shops, garage sales, even Facebook Marketplace! Or maybe you feel that you don’t have much luck there? Try Depop or Ebay for a more curated selection of items and brands. Of course there are more high-end vintage stores for unique, high value items as well! The options are truly endless. Not to mention the high you get after finding your new favourite top, or a style of skirt you’ve been looking for for ages. 

Now, Bean By Jess is growing every-day, with new arrivals every Thursday at 5pm (AEDT) to help you complete your pre-loved wardrobe. In 2023, Jess’ parents came on board the business, meaning Bean By Jess is now a small, family ran business in Newscastle, Australia. Jess explains that her parent’s willingness to come on board was “definitely a pinch me moment, knowing that they were willing to pack up and change directions in their life because they truly believe in me and the business” and is “incredibly grateful to work alongside my mum and dad every single day. I know this is something I will look back on over the years and feel so grateful to have this opportunity with them.” 

“Sometimes it’s difficult to not get imposter syndrome and compare yourself to others, but at the end of the day I feel so incredibly blessed to call this my job. I mean, I get to essentially dress up and go shopping every week so how I could complain! Also having the freedom to learn and grow so much in every facet of the business, where I have complete control over everything is something I still learn to navigate every day.”