Hello lovelies,

Have you heard of up-cycling or reworked fashion?

If you haven’t don’t worry because as I promised back in May when I went on my first second hand shopping trip, I’m going to make a conscious effort to find out all about those brands that are a real alternative to the High Street for you that come under the second hand/vintage umbrella.

In its simplest of terms reworked means taking something old and adding something to it, to make it new. This maybe either cutting it or putting elastic in the hem to give it a twist, either way it’s changing the design a little to make it more personal.

With lockdown lifting, we are all finally heading back to our wardrobe to make an effort to dress up,  and reworked items could be the difference between blending in and standing out. With so many of us not wanting to have the same as someone else, finding unique pieces under the reworked umbrella is a real viable option.

That’s why I went along to meet Hannah from Saluto London who reworks bedding and textiles into outfits for the summer. Whilst this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The video gives everyone real food for thought on ways to rework your own items if you don’t fancy buying them yourself. You can watch the full video here.

As well as Saluto, the restrictions imposed by the pandemic has led other designers to turn to materials they already have in their studio, instead of shipping in new fabrics. I want to highlight four other brands that might help you on your journey for a more sustainable wardrobe.

 

Bode: Designer Emily Bode repurposes antique textiles and objects to create off-kilter pieces inflected with a workwear tone. For each collection she sources disparate elements and brings them to her New York studio, where local tailors and seamstresses rework them using artisanal techniques such as the signature patchwork. The result is a selection of modern heirlooms that nod to folkloric craftsmanship through hand-stitched accents and panelled constructions and that are conceived to preserve cultural and historical value through fresh creative narratives.

 

Encore – Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen, created this collection from surplus materials and sees the clear advantages to upcycling for customers is exclusivity “Once there isn’t any more fabric on the roll, you move on to another leftover roll which  no one else will have.”

 

ELV-is the “zero-waste upcycled denim” brand founded by Anna Foster. The brand sources unwanted jeans from vintage warehouses across the U.K. and transforms them into fun fresh pairs designed and produced in East London.

 

Ahluwalia: Designer Priya Ahluwalia made her name by repurposing textiles that already exist for menswear. This year she has teamed up with womenswear brand Ganni to offer an up cycled collection that will be available in Ganni stores worldwide and online in limited quantities.

Tip of the day: 

If doing it yourself isn’t your thing you can find reworked clothes everywhere. Depop, Ebay, Etsy and even Urban Outfitters all give amazing options of reworked clothes.

If you are ready to upcycle your wardrobe but need help in clearing your wardrobe to get it ready for new reworked additions, do take a look at my wardrobe service here. If however you want help to find the brand that will work well with your budget head here.

Let me know in the comments what you are doing to be more sustainable?

Until next time xxx

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