A Manchester charity shop has revealed how a batch of clothing donated last week turned out to have significant pop provenance.
Salford-based Children’s Air Ambulance shared snaps Facebook of a rack full of lush outfits, along with a note saying they had been used for rehearsals for Madonna’s 2023 Celebration tour.
The Like a Prayer singer, 66, toured the world to celebrate her four-decade career in October 2023, ending with a free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio in May this year.
Strike a pose: A suitcase full of clothes apparently worn last year during rehearsals for Madonna’s Celebration world tour has turned up in a Manchester charity shop.
Material girl: The 66-year-old singer spent time rehearsing in Manchester before the tour’s opening night in London in October last year.
The star spent time in the city ahead of the first London date of his tour, undertaking hours of rehearsals at Manchester’s AO Arena after booking it en masse to perfect the 81-date tour that saw 1.1 million people saw the pop icon perform.
A note on the rail read: “Donated to us from dress rehearsals at the AO Arena for Madonna’s Celebration ’23’ tour.”
On Facebook, the Salford charity shop announced its new stock in a pun-filled post that read: “Are you a material girl or do you just like to strike a pose?” We’ve got you covered.
‘We’ve been donated some incredible pieces from Madonna’s Celebration tour dress rehearsal at the AO Arena.
Among the items on sale at the Children’s Air Ambulance charity shop were a pair of zip-embellished desert check ‘bondage pants’ from American brand Tripp for £25, and a well-worn pale pink tutu for £20.
Madonna photographed in London on October 14, just days after finishing rehearsals for the 81-date world tour that ended in May this year.
Shoppers spotted the brightly colored stage clothes along with a note saying they had been donated to the Salford charity shop.
‘So tell your dad not to preach and come see what we have. Express yourself and appreciate your life-saving purchase. You will find us at the Children’s Air Ambulance charity shop on Regent Road Retail Park, Regent Road, Salford, M5 3TP.
Among the items on sale were a pair of zip-embellished tartan trousers for £25 and a well-worn pale pink tutu for £20.
Many of the clothes were from the American brand Tripp, founded by designer Daang Goodman in New York’s East Village in the 1980s.
The brand describes its clothing as featuring “exclusive bondage pants, unique washes and hardware, and the creation of “Dark Street,” a countercultural take on streetwear.”
Boots you: A selection of buckled and patent leather heels were also on sale in the store.
Some of the items on display could have been worn by the Queen of Pop herself, including this leather and lace corset, on sale for £15.
A corset adorned with studded belts was among the charity shop’s loot.
On sale was a pair of beige Tripp trousers for a bargain £7.50. A new pair of Tripp jeans sells for around £120, so even without the star quality, those purchasing the items are getting a bargain.
One shopper searching for gold for charity shops, PR manager Alex Fisher, spotted them in the shop on Friday, shared her find on TikTok and said: ‘Madonna tour clothes in a Manchester charity shop!! ! Thank goodness I was wearing some of these.
Madonna ended the celebratory tour with an epic free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach for 1.6 million fans.
Madonna’s Celebration tour reached a heady climax on Brazil’s most famous beach, with 1.6 million fans attending an epic free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.
Participation in Rio more than ten times eclipsed its previous record attendance of 130,000 fans at the Parc des Sceaux in Paris in 1987.