Sunshine Dreamer

With her working life spanning from McDonalds to Youth Support Work and everything in between, Ashleigh Wright can now call herself the proud Founder and Director of Sunshine Dreamer –an online vintage clothing label based right here in Newcastle.

Having always dreamed of working for herself, Ash managed to combine this desire with her love of vintage fashion and the positive environmental impact of shopping sustainably. Chatting with Ash, her passion for Sunshine Dreamer radiates through her words and it’s clear why this business has been so popular in the Newcastle scene and beyond for the last 5 years.

Thanks for your time Ash. Is it just you running Sunshine Dreamer?

Yes, it’s a one woman show here! I do have family and friends that are always helping out. My husband helps me nearly every day in one way or another, even if it’s just helping me decide on colour schemes. I also just had a lovely Newcastle University student start to intern with me. 

How did the business come about?

I have always wanted to work for myself, and growing up I was very much into fashion. When I was a teenager I would look to movies like Never Been Kissed or Clueless for inspiration on out of uniform day at school. I decided to start Sunshine because I was lacking creativity in my job as a youth worker at the time. I started off selling vintage inspired festival kimonos. I would source the fabrics and my Mum would make them up on her sewing machine. I remember my first market stall; I didn’t sell a single item! I decided for the next stall I would add some of my personal vintage pieces from my wardrobe that I hadn’t worn in a while and it was a hit! I realised there was a huge need for female vintage clothing in Newcastle.

Have you always been interested in vintage fashion?

Yes, always! I used to sit on eBay back in the day watching vintage tees online, placing my bids and becoming super sad when missing out on that one of a kind piece! eBay was once the only place you could really buy vintage clothing online. It was always photographed on a men’s mannequin or laying wonky and flat on someone’s kitchen floor. It was very hit and miss.

Tell us a little about what Sunshine Dreamer is all about.

We are bold, bright and colourful! If you see our Instagram feed and website I think you will agree. Sunshine Dreamer definitely has an LA street style vibe. We strive to source those super rare vintage pieces that no one else has, along with vintage inspired pieces and some old favourites such as the Harley Davidson tees. They are definitely our most popular item. Our customers care about the environment and keeping clothing out of landfill so we also try to keep up with current trends when it comes to vintage clothing. 80s, 90s and 00s are a popular era. 

What should customers expect from your upcoming market?

Good vibes! I am super excited to meet some of our local customers in person for the first time! We will have 90s and 00s music playing all day long. We have plenty of helpers to ensure everything runs smoothly and that everyone is following social distancing requirements. 

Will you be doing more markets in the future?

We sure will be! We are hoping to hold pre loved markets and open days in the months leading up to Christmas. Watch this space!

Any plans for the future? 

I would love to open up a physical store and creative space for local brands to do photoshoots at in the near future!