Students reclaimed, remixed and revived more than just clothes at the 1042 flea market.
1042 flea and UCLA’s Sigma Alpha Zeta collaborated to host the UCLA vs. USC flea Market, a free public event at Kerckhoff patio Nov. 21. The market featured over 40 vendors selling things including rugs, jewelry and vintage items.
The collaboration between the multicultural sorority and 1042 flea began through a friendship between 1042 flea founder and UCLA alumnus Mia Parra and Manaya Anazeth Alonso, the current governess of Sigma Alpha Zeta, Parra said. Since the first 1042 x SAZ flea market in 2023, Parra added that she had a goal of creating community through the market.
“Our motive was just to bring a wide variety of people, good people, together,” Alonso said. “This flea market was nice to bring it to the community and just be directly on campus.”
Alonso, a fourth-year sociology major, said this event reflects one of SAZ’s values – community service – through its physical and financial accessibility to students. She added that flea markets are important because of their diversity and ability to unite people from different backgrounds. Alonso also said the location on Kerckhoff patio added to the overall event. She said the beauty of the space, its involvement in prominent movies and its historical role as a setting for major events, such as alumni weddings, made it all the more special of a place to see Parra’s creation come to life.
Parra said she sees these events as more than a market; instead, they are a place to hang out. She added that her early childhood experiences showed her the value of second-hand finds as she searched for school clothes at the Valley Indoor Swap Meet.
“I want vendors to spend their money logically and ethically – we don’t support fast fashion over here,” Parra said. “I don’t support labor, kid labor especially, and I also don’t support putting my people, Mexicans, in that position where that’s all they could afford.”
Parra said her long-standing relationships with her vendors make 1042 flea distinct. She added that many other flea market owners see the business as a numbers game. However, she said she builds connections with her vendors and works to provide them with the audience to succeed.
Virginia “Vee” Hepp, a jewelry vendor who has been running her business in 2018, said moving to Los Angeles and attending flea markets across the city helped her meet new people. Hepp said flea markets were also a great way to share culture and ideas and added that she hopes her booth helps people find pieces to represent themselves.
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Hepp said she and her boyfriend have worked with 1042 flea multiple times. She said Parra was incredibly supportive of small businesses and attributed their success to her. Hepp added that she loves flea markets because they showcase the creativity of each vendor.
“Every vendor has their own style and their own technique of making jewelry or making clothing or selling certain styles,” Hepp said. “What I love about the flea markets, and what I love about vendors, is everybody sticks to their own vision … It’s more just expressing yourself and letting people come find you.”
Anabella Trujillo, a first-year film and television major, said she attends flea markets regularly. She said she enjoys finding unique clothes that no one else has at these events.
Trujillo added that these events also help foster community. She said the 1042 flea market gave her the chance to have fun shopping with friends and enjoy the overall atmosphere. Trujillo said she has attended 1042 flea markets before and returns because of the vendors, reasonable prices and clothing selection.
Fatima Almubarak, a second-year economics major, said a text from friends after a midterm prompted her to attend the event as a form of relaxation. She said the rising popularity of flea markets is especially beneficial for students – a way to save money without supporting the fast fashion industry. Almubarak said these events help people express themselves through the wider variety of clothing. She added that the location of the 1042 flea market – being directly on campus – made this event distinct.
“This is basically the domain of all people who love to thrift,” Almubarak said. “Because it’s (on) a college campus, it makes it easy for you to meet people, and it forms a community. It gets a lot of people to come together and just have fun.”
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