THRIFTING SAVED MY SHOEGAME.

 Where would we be without the second-hand markets of Africa? 

Nyanya Market, Abuja, Nigeria

In Nigeria, they're called Okrika or "bend-down select" (because you bend, squat or stoop to comb through piles and heaps of thrift items). 

A typical market scene will involve lots of colourful, bobbing umbrellas demarcating stalls, loud, raucous Afrobeat music blaring from multiple speakers punctuated by whistles and cat-calls by eager sellers targeted at passersby inviting them to peep in and peruse their wares. Their offerings are an eclectic mix of styles, varying from new, barely worn to battered, worn-in soles. The patrons wipe off sweaty brows as they periodically flip the shoe piles whilst jostling females scan the growing mounds for possible purchases. Amid the chaos are nifty pickpockets, water satchet and ice cream vendors offering cold drinks to quench thirsty throats. And for the hesitant buyer with no cash in hand, conveniently positioned POS handlers with ready, quick withdrawals to seal the deal.

Weekly Wednesday markets are held in Nyanya, a suburb on the outskirts of  Abuja, the Nigerian capital city and the scene of the horrific bomb blasts of  2014, which claimed multiple lives and destroyed lots of property. At the time, it shut down briefly, eventually, it was reopened and continues to be a bustling hub for sellers and buyers from far and wide.

This is the closest market to my town and I usually get there by noon (by which time, the vendors are settled and inviting in their demeanour) and head for the stalls I see with the most patronage. By patronage, I mean, a sizable cluster of women. If a stall is empty,  they probably have worn or outdated shoes. Getting there early means you get first dibs at bale openings, however, it is widely understood that waiting for the evening market will increase one's chances of securing highly discounted prices.

Some days, it might be slim pickings as you struggle to find a unique pair, barely worn or in superb condition, other days, it's a bounty and you have to fight off other equally enthusiastic shoe-crazy adherents to secure your bounty. 

With the advent of social media, specifically Facebook, Instagram and most recently TikTok, we're seeing the emergence of successful online thrift stores posting carefully curated pieces at much higher prices than you would find in the open markets. These vendors sift through big bales of second-hand shoes, in different conditions and across many high street and mid-range to luxury brands, buying at wholesale prices to re-sell at much higher amounts online. For the customers who are busy and unable to visit the markets, they're the go-to portals.

My emotions vacillate between sadness for the designer because their creations are sold so cheaply to pure joy and elation when I score a unique pair.

I do find that it is extremely rare to see luxury designer shoe brands whilst thrifting. For instance, a  Jacquemus pair, Loewe lipstick-heeled sandals, or a Maison Margiela tabi. Occasionally, a  Jimmy Choo red sole, Ferragamo or Manolo pops up online. The readily available finds are fast fashion dupes like Zara, Next, Asos, Steve Madden, Charles & Keith etc.

D & G sandals

So imagine my surprise when I stumbled on a Dolce and Gabbana sandal with an unusual wooden sole reminiscent of heels worn by geishas about 2, or 3 years ago right here in Nyanya market. A size 37 (UK), of premium leather material, brand new and unscuffed from packing, I paid about 1,500 naira (roughly 80 cents at the time) for it. I researched online and discovered it was from their diffusion line but I was unable to find the exact year of its release. This D & G label was discontinued in 2011.

D & G sandals

There are dupes and very obvious fakes readily available but an original Amina Muaddi duck-webbed heel pump has eluded me. This is not an allusion to the fact that designer shoes are the only way to get quality, rarefied pieces as a shoe lover. It's just an interesting observation.

Typically, luxury brands thrive on the element of exclusivity as limited pieces of designs are produced per season or drop. Statistics show that the availability of resale platforms such as The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, and Vinted in the Western world, growing awareness and appreciation for thrifting as a way to promote sustainability practices in fashion account for the reduction in the chances of them trickling down to developing countries and sourcing in the open markets. Even on the resale platforms,  pricing is high, thus this could explain why they would be hard to come by in general.

 When a truly authentic piece is sighted, shoe lovers and curators 'that know' do not hesitate to snap these highly sought-after pieces up. I know I would be screaming and diving if I ever saw a Jacquemus le Chouchou ballet heel or any Awake Mode pair out in the Nyanya shoe market wilds.

Typically, whenever I travel within my country, Nigeria, one of my pastimes is visiting the thrift markets in that area. In Jos, it's Katako, in Lagos, the popular Mushin market and Vespa on the way to Badagry near the border crossing. In Abuja, nowhere trumps the Nyanya and Karmo markets. Recently, I was in Cotonou ( Benin Republic) and I was able to score some nice 'twos' from Zongo market. A stand-out piece from that trip is a sky-blue kitten-heeled sling-back pump with the toe-head shaped like the mouth of a duck-billed platypus. Permit me to assume that that was the inspiration for the designer.

Zongo Market, Cotonou, Benin Rep.

I hope to one day visit the sample sale pop-ups of New York and the high-street haunts of London. Then, there's Paris but the cake would be tramping in Italy, to the shops and factories where these shoes are made... my word, pure heaven.

The Seller

Over time, unintentionally, I have cultivated a habit of seeking out small-name shoe brands. They are usually unknown or not easily discoverable, sometimes, they do not have any online presence or footprint. In my mind, they're the holy grail for unique shoe designs and are the pairs that somehow make it through the maze and labyrinthine networks of second-hand verse to get to me. You can tell the designs were conceived with love, from a place of passion, creativity and intentionality. Delicate, intricate craftsmanship and a point of view make them stand out in the sea of ordinariness that is the likes of say, Shein, PLT, Fashionova or New Look.

It is also a guarantee that because they're so elusive, you would be hard-pressed to find another person in the same pair.

My preference is for shoes in great condition, possessing a statement feature, whether in the shape of the heel, the intricacy of detailing or overall craftsmanship. I am always surprised to discover never-worn pairs, discarded maybe because of their unconventionality, sizing, or due to a minor barely detectable defect. My sister jokes that my taste in shoes is weird; according to her when shopping, it's guaranteed that no one would be checking for my picks. For that, I can't and won't complain.

I also tend to choose shoes based solely on the place of manufacture specifically Italy, Spain and Brazil. In my experience, their shoes are built to last, classic in design, do not wear as much and are usually genuine leather products.

I am happy to report that in the last decade, there has been an increase in production and promotion of made-in-Nigeria goods. This has led to the emergence, growth and sustenance of local sourcing of materials, designing and handcrafting. These homegrown shoe brands compete favourably with luxury footwear brands worldwide. Notable mentions are brands like Shekudo and Andrea Iyamah. It would be delightful to see a Nigerian or African brand for that matter on the pre-loved market in the future.

In the end, the allure of thrifting lies in the fact that you hunt, you find and you gain possession of a rare piece, at a great price that if chosen well will be timeless and usable for a very, very, long long time.