Amanda Watkins and Karen Brooks set up a pop-up shop in Brentwood after experiencing the high costs of prom with their own children.
The shop, which was originally planned as a one-day event at The Baytree Shopping Centre, was extended to four days due to high demand.
Amanda said: “When my youngest had her prom in 2022, I, like many parents, spent over £500 on her dress.
“But like most prom dresses, after a few hours wearing it, it went back in the cupboard never to be worn again.
“I knew what a waste this was and that there would be many people out there who weren’t in a financial position to spend that money, so I kept the dresses to work out how I could use them.
“The idea of the prom pop-up was born.”
A callout to the local community via social media brought donations in their hundreds, many brand new with labels still attached with an estimated combined retail cost of over £100,000.
Karen said: “When Amanda first mentioned running a prom pop-up, I loved the idea and knew there would be plenty of people with pre-loved dresses in their lofts and wardrobes.
“In the end, we had over 600 dresses plus suits, shirts and shoes so were able to make sure the pop-up included boys.”
The families who visited the pop-up shop came from all over Essex and east London.
“There were a lot of tears of relief when they found their dream dress and knew they’d be able to go.”
Amanda and Karen are already planning next year’s prom pop-up shop, with their team committing their time once again to bring it to life and make a difference when the time comes for the class of 2026.
