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RESHAPE, REVAMP, REFASHION

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Upcycling means using discarded or vintage pieces of clothing and transforming them into something better. Despite lacking a unified name - Blackstrawberry call it’s style a refashioned fashion, it’s a fashion genre that’s creeping into the mainstream. British Vogue calls it the “new interpretation in recycled fashion”, though in many ways it’s been around since we began to think about fashion.

 

New life in old mind

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In a world still churning out trendy throw-away fashion pieces at breakneck speed, the idea of upcycled or refashioned apparel can be an anomaly. But it is a continuously growing trend and is one of the most sustainable things people can do in fashion. As upcycling makes use of already existing pieces, it often uses few resources in its creation and actually keeps ‘unwanted’ items out of the waste stream. The idea of mixing a different fashion pieces together into a single item is also the core of Blackstrawberry's design thinking.

 

Remaking old clothes to fit changing fashions was at one time a tailor’s bread and butter; today, the provenance of both a growing field of concern about the waste involved in the fashion industry and a legion of dedicated DIYers who are finding inspiration online to breathe new life into old clothes.

 

Mixing old and new

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Partly responsible for bringing attention to the current movement for refashioning clothing, Blackstrawberry simply wants the collection to give new life to worn-out jeans and tattered T-shirts.

 

Recycling clothing can be a costly business because of all the customization involved. While conventional fashion houses can set up assembly line style processes because of the uniformity of virgin fabrics, redesigners are forced to go through more steps.

 

 

Blackstrawberry is doing it

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While Blackstrawberry would love to see the refashioning movement go mainstream, she recognizes that it’s unlikely everyone will pick up a needle and thread. “In today’s world people are busier and crafts such as sewing and knitting aren’t widely taught like they used to be.  It’s too easy for people to hand over their cash/credit cards and have that quick fix shopping trip on the weekend after their busy week of work.”

 

The new collection can be a part of this revolution -- helping people make meaningful choices with their clothing while appreciating the history of the industry.