DIY Fashion: Make do and Mend for the Modern Girl

Image courtesy of TRAID

Fashion is having a makeover. The glitz and the glamour, the high heels and higher bills may always be a mainstay of the über-cool but look a little closer and there is a shift. We want choice, we want cheap, we want clever and we want eco. Not only that but we want boutique chic and a bit of DIY. This is a make do and mend meets MTV lifestyle mentality – listen up for fashion’s hottest consumer trends from around the globe and don’t lose the thread…

In an age of carbon footprint fear  we are seeing a return to re-using and re-cycling in many areas of consumer culture. Second-hand has been fashionably “vintage” for some time and this trend towards a nu austerity builds on this retro renaissance; by going elbow- deep at the jumble sale you will not only allow for a bespoke fashion look, but it’s good for the environment too.
Yes, customisation is back in vogue with a new eco-twist, allowing a new generation to put their mark on their style for true boutique chic. According to Argos, sales of sewing machine have been rocketing , with a reported 50% rise from 2006 to 2007, indicating a growing trend in homespun creations.

Free cycling is taking off across the UK with localised groups making use of items for free rather than add to the ever-growing litter piles. Clothes are no exception with free cycling parties giving a new take on the hand-me-down ethic. Getting new clothes for free from friends over a glass of wine has both money and carbon saving kudos, with a social element to -  ahem -  boot.

Recycled fashion has a fabulous sense of uniqueness. TRAID has a line of TRAIDremade pieces made individually in it’s larger stores; designers following current catwalk trends whilst working entirely with donated materials for a range of eco-friendly, affordable and entirely unique pieces of attire.
They say:
“Every year in the UK, 900,000 million items of clothing, shoes and accessories are thrown away. TRAID believes that some things are just too good to go to waste. TRAIDremade is an award-winning recycled fashion label that saves textile waste from landfill and provides a stylish alternative to fashion on the high street.”

Recycle Now offers a web portal for discerning and responsible fashionistas to purchase glorious fashion items and accessories created from recycled glass, packing, plastic bags and bottles. Moma Boma in Milan are recycling 50’s and 60’s magazines and vinyl to produce fabulous handbags and accessories, with the strap lines “invert the world”, and recycled est ethic, whilst artist Jennifer Collier takes a more sculptural approach with her beautiful paper shoes and accessories.
Plenty of others are following suit, notably School Colours, an innovative company selling blazers and uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles, and Recycle Your Jeans who make birki-esque sandals from – that’s right – your very own old jeans.

So, you are recycling, re-using and reinventing. What else can fashion do for you? Well, how about the way we use space? Coat hangers are plentiful and the staple of many landfill sites, leading the chaps at Green Hanger to produce a fully recyclable cardboard coat hanger made from 100% recycled material and comprising of post-consumer waste. No trees are cut down, and no glues, inks or other non-renewable resources are used in the hangers, so all boxes ticked for the environment.
On another level, a Chinese company have created Magic T-Shirts that expand on contact with water – ideal for carrying a spare, but how practical a wet t-shirt is  in civilised arenas is unclear… Similarly, Pants in a Pinch offer a range of cleverly packaged children’s pants squished into a palm sized package ideal for any little accidents that may occur. Fashion can be clever, environmentally aware, and really rather quirky.
 
DIY fashion is making us look at the impact our aesthetics have on our planet, and is turning the spotlight back onto creativity and reinvention. It also has another facet, the instantaneous and quick fix fashion that is evident in many current trends.
Studio 28 offers an online design your own dress service, enabling consumers to mix and match styles, fabrics and colours for a bespoke service. Not only can fashion design be within our reach in this trend but make-up artist skills are also to hand – Coloron pro offer disposable and easy to use eye shadow blends for an instant professional look. By pressing prepared pads against the eyelid an instant application is achieved, which makes selecting your look and creating an identity all the easier.
A US company offering resume t-shirts combines the ethics of bespoke fashion with a self-marketing component by offering a resume t-shirt service online; why send a CV when you can wear it and let opportunity knock where it wishes? 

Finally, no fashionista can be without her heels, but what if you need more from your footwear? Look at Camileon Heels, the first company offering convertible heels, which change form high to low and back in seconds; will we combine our footwear in other ways in the future?

So, from our lightening tour of fashion trends occurring around the world we see that fashion is adopting a new paradigm; with consumers taking an approach of nu austerity, eco awareness and instant creative solutions this is a time of adjustment for the world of fashion design.
Form and function have been battling it out over the landfills with innovative and resourceful creations.
The zeitgeist is looking after our planet and looking good on it. I am off to Oxfam for my next creation – watch this space…

Jo Gifford


www.traid.org.uk/
www.recyclenow.com/
www.momaboma.it/
www.schoolcolours.co.uk
www.recycleyourjeans.com
www.greenhanger.com.au
www.pantsinapinch.com
www.jennifercollier.co.uk
www.studio28couture.com
www.blackbirdtees.com/
www.camileonheels.com

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