Gone are the days when the real fashionistas shopped through high-end
boutiques. Nowadays, a real fashionista knows no boundaries in terms of
speaking out through fashion. Fashion industry evolves into something huge,
fearless and bold. Lately, "ukay-ukay" has been in the list of some
fashionistas. Online ukay stores sprouted in the social media while a number of
Pinays flocked to grab unique, quality and reasonably priced items.
In every place, I believe there is always a space or area where you can
"shop" for ukay treasures. In every city or town, ukay-ukay kiosks
have been one of the symbols of trade and it never fails to attract a number of
shoppers.
With my recent vacation in Iloilo City, one of the must-visit-destination is
the mall where it houses two ukay shops, but unfortunately, with the hectic
schedule, I failed to visit the place. So, I decided, maybe I should start the
Ukayista Guide in my homeplace, Zamboanga City.
For tourists, Zamboanga City is known for the Barter Goods Trade where one
can purchase items made (mostly) in Malaysia at the most reasonable price. But
little was known that the city actually has almost a whole complex that caters
about 30 ukay stalls. This one is the Sta. Cruz Commerrcial Center along
Veterans Avenue. You can find anything
you want from dresses, blouses/tops,
skirts, pants, bags and shoes. In fact, if you want quality curtains,
bedsheets, comforters and pillow cases, you can easily find it there.
The items in Sta. Cruz Center are well arranged. You can actually see
clothes hanging and you don’t actually need to do the digging. Prices usually
range from P80-150 for the blouses/shirts, P150-300 for the dresses ,
P100-2,500 for the shoes, P50-500 for the purses/bags and P200-350 for pants.
But for signature and designer bags, prices can go as expensive as P5, 000.00.
The best time to shop is during Saturdays and Sundays at 9:00 in the morning
where new bales will be opened.
But if you want a real treasure hunting, then the best place for you is the
Magay Market. This is actually the old market of the city and a portion of it
was used to cater the Ukay-Ukay traders. The place is just about 300 meters
away from the City Hall and almost within the heart of the city’s downtown
area. Unlike in the Sta. Cruz Center, ukay items are just placed in wooden
boxes or carts. So, Ukayistas need to do the actual digging of the pile of
clothes and expect that the place is not as dainty/sanitized compared to the
Sta. Cruz Center. However, the prices
are totally a steal! Prices usually range from P5-180 only. Seldom can you
encounter an item that is worth for two hundred. If you are lucky, you can even
find designer clothes for as low as P50.00.
With my recent treasure hunting escapade, I was able to grab an
authentic Tommy Hilfiger knitted dress for only P50.00. Isn’t that a total
steal?
The best time to visit the place is during Saturdays and Sundays at 6:00
o’clock in the morning where the vendors will open new bales. In fact, you can even help them pull the
items (which are still sticking) from the bales.
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| a classic sight in Magay Market |
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| Treasure hunting .... |
So, c’mon! Let’s start the treasure hunting and let the passion continues.
