Zoe Muller is a sustainable and vintage collectible seller. Throughout lockdown, she has turned her passion into profit, finding a new income stream through her online shop, Vintage Voodoo on social marketplace Poshmark. She speaks with Laura Michell
What’s your connection to the City of Maribyrnong?
I have lived here for eight years. I am a westie born and bred. I grew up in Melton but when I moved home from the US 10 years ago, I moved to Yarraville and then I bought a place in West Footscray.
What do you like about living in West Footscray?
It is an up and coming area. There are new cafes popping up, even during COVID.
I am an avid Western Bulldogs fan and Whitten Oval is about a kilometre away. I always go there and sneak at the boys training. There is a whole sense of community behind the football. All the shops had Bulldogs stuff [on display]. It was an awesome feeling that everyone banded together.
What, if anything, would you like to change?
I wish people would be a little bit more earth-friendly. I’m very much into sustainability and clean living.
How did you become a sustainable and vintage collector and seller?
My closet was overflowing with clothes!
I like to sell my clothes online and I like to think about circular fashion as well. I like something that had a life before. Sometimes the people I buy from give me a history of the item. It’s like when you into an op shop and buy something that might have been made in the ’50s and it has the original owner’s name tag. It is awesome knowing something has been loved.
Do you have a favourite item that you like to collect?
Vintage dresses – I am very into the Rockabilly scene. I have grown up in the Punk scene – I am covered in tattoos- [and] I have always been a band T-shirt and runners person. I was over in the US and I saw how the Rockabilly women looked. I wanted to make myself feel more glamorous the dresses are very flattering.
How did you get involved in selling items online?
Originally I started selling my stuff on Facebook Marketplace but I had a few transactions where I got scammed. My friend in Canada … suggested I sell my dresses on [Poshmark].
Do you have a favourite local cafe or restaurant?
I am biased… I live in an apartment complex and across the hall owns Pod Cafe. They have great coffee.
How has COVID-19 impacted you?
I am a travel agent and I was one of the people who were lucky enough to keep working even though my hours were reduced. I was looking for a way to supplement my income and that is when Poshmark came along.
