NYFW has seen its fair share of history-making moments, but this one stitched together glamour, grit, and goodwill. Upcycling maverick Evan Hirsch joined forces with ShopGoodwill.com to debut a first-of-its-kind collection, aptly named Found Opulence, built entirely from thrifted and donated garments. The result? Twenty-nine runway looks that turned secondhand finds into jaw-dropping couture.
What started as Hirsch’s quiet action, a six-dollar Goodwill dress transformed into a hand-beaded gown and returned to the rack, soared into a viral sensation, caught the eye of PEOPLE magazine, and ultimately sparked the landmark Evan Hirsch and ShopGoodwill.com partnership. The message was clear: thrift fashion has a rightful place on the runway.
“My inspiration was what I call Found Opulence: Thrifted Beginnings, Couture Endings,” said Evan Hirsch. “These garments were once overlooked, but with care and imagination, they became extraordinary. At its heart, this collection is about honoring the planet, the wearer, and the stories stitched into every thread.”
The show opened with drama: a Cream and Gold lace surplice pantsuit that announced transformation as the night’s theme. From there, the runway became a study in reinvention, think a midnight sequin gown pinned with a floral brooch, a strapless gold beaded gown with a sash, a burnt-orange one-shoulder masterpiece studded with floral appliqué. And Hirsch didn’t stop at beauty; he delivered spectacle. A gilded poncho ripped away to reveal a pink spandex and sequin mini with shoulder draping. A puff-sleeve wedding gown unfolded into a finale dripping in brooches.
This was fashion alchemy: humble beginnings transfigured into high drama. A silver gown with an embroidered organza cape whispered romance. A black satin corset with ostrich appliqué leaned into a dark edge. A sequined bustier with a layered skirt and a sharply tailored suit reborn with embroidered mesh embodied Hirsch’s belief that couture doesn’t need pedigree; it needs vision.
And the vision doesn’t end with the runway. Fifteen of the show’s looks will go under the hammer on ShopGoodwill.com, giving thrift hunters and fashion obsessives alike the chance to own NYFW history. Every bid supports Goodwill’s workforce development programs, proving that style and social impact can walk hand in hand.
But the collaboration is more than a single runway spectacle. Hirsch will serve as ShopGoodwill.com’s Resident Fashion Expert for the year, curating thrifted gems, amplifying the cultural power of secondhand, and putting sustainability where it belongs, at the center of fashion’s future.
Evan spoke about the entire experience by saying, “This show was the most intricate production I have put on to date. I really wanted the event to reflect the grand transformations of the Goodwill pieces by giving each look a spotlight in the ornate Grand Ballroom of the 3 West Club. When I finally saw all 29 looks together in succession on the runway, I truly felt like my up-cycling dream had come true!”
With Found Opulence, Evan Hirsch and ShopGoodwill.com flipped the script on what couture means. No atelier-only exclusivity, no wasteful excess, just thrift-store beginnings reworked into looks that stopped New York in its tracks. If fashion is about transformation, Hirsch proved the next revolution won’t come from a luxury house. It’ll come from a Goodwill rack.
Photo Credit: John Pankratz
