OPINION: Rescue, Reuse, Reimagine: The Creativity Behind A Conscious Fashion Line

We recently brought you the scoop on The R Collective Net-a-Porter launch. And we’ve long championed its founder and CEO, Christina Dean, as a Green Warrior. Here’s the latest from Christina herself on the philosophy behind the latest collection and how it’s keeping production sustainable.

“This season, we proudly launched our eight-piece upcycled collection featuring dresses, trench coats and pants exclusively for NET-A-PORTER. The edit was designed in collaboration with award-winning sustainable designers, Wen Pan and Weiyu Hung, to celebrate the beauty of upcycling, circular fashion and to prove that luxury fashion need not be wasteful.

Proving the power of positive fashion, we’re excited to share with you our story, ‘The Making of The R Collective exclusively for NET-A-PORTER’, joined by Fashion Journalist Susie Lau, Singer Mint Pattarasaya and Fashion Stylist Justine Lee. Follow our sustainable design process as we rescue excess luxury fabrics, reuse these through upcycling to reimagine fashion as we create this exclusive upcycled collection.

Rescue

We rescue the best materials that are nearing the end of their current life in the linear fashion system from other luxury brands, mills and manufacturers. Susie explores this creative and considered approach that can give us new sustainable clothes by rescuing seemingly unwanted materials, alongside our collaborative designer, Weiyu Hung. “For me, fashion is not only clothing,” explains designer, Weiyu Hung, a Chinese contemporary womenswear designer based in the Netherlands. “Fashion is about how we see our world. It’s about living with our changing attitudes so we can find better solutions to benefit others.”

Reuse

Reusing upcycled materials requires innovation and skilled hands to transform these materials into new garments. Mint takes us behind the scenes at our manufacturing partner, TAL Apparel to witness the transformation.

Reimagine

Through our sustainable design, we’re inspiring women to create a conscious closet to love. Justine evokes the joy of personal expression to reimagine and restyle our wardrobes with the helping hand of The R Collective’s sustainable fashion pieces.