Old is the ‘New’
Vigil Abloh used fabrics from the brand’s old archive for this showcase and the world sat down and took notice. What was more intriguing about the presentation was that a teddy bear designed by designer Marc Jacobs for the Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring-Summer 2005 collection made its way out of Maison’s archives into the current collection.
Showing fashion aficionados that stunning pieces can be made be with old fabrics and textiles is what many designers are now vouching for. And especially during this pandemic that has shown a seismic shift in the fashion world with brands becoming season-less and designers advocating zero wastage policy, the change is palpable.
“Upcycling is the need of the hour and we need to adopt sustainable practices in our lives. And it’s even better if you can do it in the right style,” says designer Jeetinder Sandu.
There are a lot of Indian designers and fashion houses who are using creative techniques and designs to upcycle. “Consumers are also appreciating this shift and they like the idea of turning an old piece of clothing or the unused, leftover fabric into something new. People now like to wear clothes that have a story to it and that becomes a conversation-starter for many,” opines designer Jenjum Gadi.
Here are some designer labels, who are inspiring and rendering creative ideas to us with their innovative upcycled designs.
Ka-Sha
Known for upcycling old clothes with cool patchwork techniques and turning them into stylish trench coats, dresses and jackets, label Ka-Sha by Karishma Sahani Khan is a front runner in championing the cause of conscious clothing. The brand not only upcycles and reuses dead stocks but also urges other designers to do the same. In their previous collection, they came up with an innovative idea of using old vegetable sacks and rejected plastic to make jackets. Leftover clothes are also used in making footwear and scarves by the label.
Amit Aggarwal
Using discarded saris and giving it a contemporary twist, thereby making them timeless is what designer Amit Aggarwal has been known for. The saris are treated with industrial methods such as pleating and weaving them with recycled metallic strips make it nouveau. The designer did a complete collection with discarded patola and Banarasi saris.
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