SAMARA

Mar 8, 2021/Photo: Courtesy of @samara_ues

Samara Saykin’s fervor for finding fashion bargains was formed while shopping with her mom, aunts, and grandmother at a young age.

“When searching for items our main focus was not to hone in on finding trendy ‘designer’ pieces — it was to find items we truly loved that reflected our personal style which always included unusual stand-out pieces,” she explained.

Years later, Saykin moved to NYC to work as a care manager for Housing Works, which addresses the challenges faced by those living with HIV and other chronic illnesses. The nonprofit, which runs several thrift shops in the city to help fund its mission, reignited her love of secondhand fashion while deepening her desire to use her thrifting for good. 

“I was truly inspired by combing through countless racks of beautiful secondhand pieces and I knew the proceeds of my purchases were going towards helping such an amazing community,” she said. 

Today, Saykin channels her passion for thrifted finds through SAMARA. The Instagram shop sells eye-popping pieces ranging from graphic jackets to stylish vintage footwear. 

Saykin says the started the shop selling pieces she found in her mother’s basement that were no longer being worn. She then used those proceeds to buy more pieces at flea markets and secondhand shops around the city.

“My passion is not in big profit for the shop, it's to source beautiful and unusual pieces that would have went to waste or would have been left unseen all while contributing to sustainability and circular fashion,” she explained.

Though her Insta shop slowed a bit during the pandemic, Saykin says she hopes to collaborate with community-based organizations and nonprofits in the coming months — specifically those that combat systemic racism and support the Black Lives Matter movement. She also says she’s been working on several capsule collections that emulate “classic NYC vintage vibes.”

“Although the shop's inventory has slowed a bit (just as NYC has during this time) due to practicing Covid safety measures for myself and my family, the shop will be making an impactful reappearance,” she said.

Check out SAMARA and Saykin’s bevy of beautiful found fashion pieces here.