Bicester Village Has Launched A Charity Shop With SmartWorks

Bicester Village x Smart Works — (Image credit: Bicester Village)

While it’s no longer novel to piece together an impeccably chic wardrobe out of charity-shop finds, knowing where to look is where it becomes trickier—especially with fashion editors generally gatekeeping their local favourites. The good news for those in need of intel, however, is that one of the most iconic shopping destinations for bargain-hunting, Bicester Village, will soon be playing host to what you might call the ultimate charity shop in partnership with Smart Works.

If you’re not yet familiar with the charity’s pioneering work, its mission is to help women get into employment by furnishing them with the coaching, clothing and, crucially, the confidence they need to find their way into the job market. Launching today and running until 20 November, the fruit of their collaboration is The Village Attic, a pop-up where “retail meets purpose”.

Stylist Bay Garnett has lent her inimitable eye, curating the pop-up’s collection of vintage designer clothes, shoes, handbags and jewellery, with 100% of sales going towards Smart Works.

And as the woman responsible for making “thrift-chic” not just cool but worthy of the glossiest magazine editorials—as well as delightful material for her book Style and Substance—it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find a one-off gem that you’ll treasure for decades (seriously, Immy Waterhouse has even donated an outfit for the cause).

Bicester Village’s chief culture officer, Chantal Khoueiry, commented: “When fashion meets purpose, lives are transformed. Through our philanthropic programme, DO GOOD, we harness the power of our platform to create lasting impact locally and globally.”

Whether you’re looking to supplement your own wardrobe, or perhaps make a dent in your burgeoning present list ahead of Christmas, you’ll be shopping with not just sustainability but the welfare of other women in mind. Tell your friends—with a good cause at the heart of this charity shop, the only rule is no gatekeeping allowed.

Natalie Hammond is a writer, editor and author who’s contributed to publications including Marie Claire, Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Who What Wear, The London Standard, CNN and The Times. She was most recently senior fashion news editor at Grazia, and previously worked on the fashion desk of The Times. Her first book was published in August 2024, Bowie: His Style Principles, which is part of an ongoing series about world-famous wardrobes. She writes the Substack How Much?, a newsletter examining the culture of shopping.