Let's Be Friends With Feeber!

An ever-growing collective of passionate archival fashion accumulators, sellers, and enthusiasts has been driving Melbourne’s retail experiences. Providing those in the know and otherwise with on-demand hookups of international, often Japanese designerwear, these sellers have taken to Instagram and TikTok to promote their goods. One of these sellers is Pheobe Lu, better known online as FeeberArchive who hosted a pop-up event in Melbourne last November. It turns out that Phoebe has had quite the journey to get where she is, from hosting Camberwell market stalls as a teenager to being banned from Depop for suspected illegal activity. Asked how she wants Feeber to evolve, she notes a dream of a store in Paris and a YouTube channel where she can record her every move.
JEROME FISHER What inspired you to start Feeber Archive?
PHOEBE LU I initially started Feeber as a hobby out of high school because I really liked fashion. I think everyone has that phase, just wanting to sell some clothes and get some money. After high school, I didn't find any jobs that I was interested in—no retail positions or anything in fashion that I liked—so I started selling clothes at Camberwell Market. I started taking it more seriously and eventually started a brand.
JF Why archive fashion? Why does it hold such significance to you?
PL Archive fashion has always been a field of interest. Growing up, I really liked the craftsmanship of older pieces compared to newer, emerging brands. I just preferred artisanal style. I realised I couldn't find a lot of that in Melbourne and that's why I thought to start curating.
JF What is it about the medium of Instagram as a marketplace that best suits your business model?
PL Instagram was actually a little bit of a hidden blessing because I got banned from Depop! I feel like the community building on Instagram is a lot better and you can also post more on your feed and make it feel like an actual brand.
JF Why did you get banned from Depop?
PL They thought I was doing a bunch of illegal stuff, but I wasn't.
JF Like, selling counterfeits?
PL They thought I was selling illegal substances...
JF What the fuck?
PL I wasn’t! I was just a silly girl in Melbourne! Once I got banned, there was no outlet for me to sell my pieces, so I moved to Instagram.

JF Necessity is the mother of innovation! When were you first exposed to Instagram as a market space, and who did you turn to as a reference point?
PL At the start of 2021, I didn't really take any inspiration from anyone. I kind of did what I wanted and posted pieces that I thought were cool. I do follow a lot of ‘aesthetic’ accounts, which are very pleasing to the eye and help to see how other people present their own stock and brand. I took a lot of inspiration from other sellers in Melbourne, Europe and Japan.
JF What would you say sets Feeber Archive apart from other fashion resellers?
PL I wouldn't say my goal is to be ‘set apart.' I just want to offer pieces that I appreciate. My aesthetic is definitely specific. I appeal to more of a niche client. My brand is definitely an extension of myself and what I like.
JF Europe and Japan are obvious reference points. Has traveling had any influence on your views of reselling and the archive fashion market?
PL Yes definitely! It has affirmed that Melbourne, and Australia in general, is secluded from the rest of the world and that archival fashion is not as developed here as it is overseas. Traveling overseas has made me realise what Melbourne fashion can grow.
JF You’ve talked about focusing on nurturing a genuine connection with customers. How do you foster those relationships beyond a transaction?
PL I'm very grateful to be able to host a lot of pop-ups and actually make friends. Its a blessing to meet people you otherwise might not go out of your way to talk to. I also learn a lot from people.
JF How does your relationship with customers differ from those attained in traditional storefronts?
PL I treat every person who walks through the pop-up doors or online as a genuine friend. I want them to feel a sense of belonging. It also reflects my personality. I'm a very bubbly person

JF How would you describe your relationship with other sellers? Especially the other businesses that are taking part in Friends with Feeber. What is it about collaboration that is so essential for you?
PL Friends with Feeber, also known as ‘fei ba’ means ‘to fly’ in Chinese. It is kind of cringe, but it's something I really stand for. The whole point of the first Feeber pop-up was to grow and learn. The sellers I chose were all my friends and they all had very nice curations and were talented and nice people. I think the sense of collaboration is felt by bringing people with similar interests together.
JF Your last storefront was in collaboration with Chinatown Country Club in Sydney.
PL Chinatown Country Club was a very exciting opportunity. I never thought I would be going interstate for pop-ups or taking it as seriously. I learnt a lot from the team there and the fashion culture is also very different to Melbourne. It was a great learning experience.
JF So you have worked retail in the past? How come you decided to take a less commercial selling path?
PL I always thought I needed to get a job to survive, but after trying out retail, I realised that my time is very precious and I want to spend it on things that make me happy. Retail felt very forced and I felt bored all the time. Even though this is a riskier route, starting a business and doing all that, I thought that in the long run it might make me happier.
At the end of the day, what I value the most is everyone I collaborate with. I also just want to have fun with whatever I do because I don't take life seriously and I think we should just have fun. Having a brand allows you to always try new things and grow as a person. I still have a lot to learn from other people, and so I want my brand to be ever-changing.
JF How do you balance the fun elements with the stressors of running a business?
PL Stress is inevitable. It comes in every situation, but I do try to remind myself that it's a part of the journey, a part of the experience.
JF What's planned next for Feeber Archive?
PL I definitely want to do more pop-ups. I think a big goal would be to do one in Paris. That’s just a goal for myself because I’ve never been to Paris. I want to do YouTube as a full-time job. I really want to document my journey of Feeber. I want to put my personal life online and get to meet new people that make people happy.
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