Mystery donation leads to Queensland first ‘St Vincent de Formal’

A mystery donation of dozens of suits to a Sunshine Coast Vinnies store sparked an idea for Schools Engagement Officer Kate Everlyn and Northern M&D Officer Mariana Passeggi – Queensland’s first ever massive formalwear sale, the “St Vincent de Formal”.   

Kicking off on 6 May, the event (literally) rolled out the red carpet at the Maroochydore Vinnies, seeing up to 200 local students and their families shopping for an affordable, but stylish, formal outfit.  

'We were sitting there with this massive donation of suits and were wondering how we could put them to good use, especially in the youth space,’ Kate said.  

'We reached out to all the Northern Diocese Shops and local hire companies asking if they had any formal wear to donate – we ended up with more than 500 dresses and 300 suits, with nothing over $100. 

'With so many families hurting under rising costs of living, we wanted a dignified and exciting shopping experience for students to get their formal wear and look good without breaking the bank.  

'While we sold them for a bargain price, the outfits we got were still on trend and modern – many were completely brand new.’ 

After a successful first St Vincent de Formal, which received coverage from Channel 7 and local radio and newspapers, Kate said they were already planning when and where they could hold the next one. 

'We had people knocking on the door 30 minutes before the event even started – even the rain couldn’t keep people away,’ she said.  

'We sold nearly $3,000 worth of clothes in just two hours, with most dresses around the $50 mark, and the customers were so overwhelmingly positive about the whole experience.’