Upcycling,
The Art of Compromise
Making luxury out of preloved fabric – where perfection ends and upcycling begins.
Yes, the ultimate luxury pieces should be well-made. But what does that mean in the process of upcycling – can they be made to the same quality?
I’d say it depends on the goal. Yes, it’s possible to achieve an industrially well-made standard for luxury fashion. But, this depends largely on the fabric quality of the garment used, and on the garment’s size, which needs to allow for sufficient seam allowances. However, if the goal is to create a wearable piece while using as much of the original garment’s fabric as possible, to reduce fabric waste, then the well-made standard sometimes has to be sacrificed. That doesn’t mean the new seams won’t hold, or that the garment will develop unwanted tears; it just means the inside can sometimes not be as clean as one would expect.
This is the way FrenzyLoop has taken.
I’d say bringing back trust in handmade artisans contributes to a slow creation process and the uniqueness that process brings for the wearer, as well as to the quality of the fabric used and the whole sewing process.
That said, understanding the challenges of upcycling brings into focus saving perfectly good preloved fabrics and making them attractive and wearable again while compromising on how clean and perfect the inside of the garment might be.
This is the way FrenzyLoop has taken. But, where and what to compromise on, in order to stay focused on the goal, can be really challenging.
I like to plan ahead.
Sometimes I draw in my sketchbook, sometimes in the digital gallery, and sometimes I simply take the piece and cut it so I don’t forget.
That’s why it’s not unusual to dig out pieces I’d already cut when going through my stock. That’s how I ran into my husband’s preloved shirt, which I’d planned to combine with a stripy, also preloved T-shirt, both adding their good parts together.
Not that I’d forgotten about the idea, but somehow finishing it that way didn’t feel right, so I decided to adapt it for the Big Pleats Blouse concept instead and created this model Nr 1.2.
Blouse With Big Pleats Nr 1.2
This version is more relaxed instead of fitted. The pleats are richer, the side openings aren’t as deep as in the original model, and the whole blouse is a bit shorter, with 3/4 sleeves instead of short ones.
As one more addition to the Big Pleats family, I’m happy with how it turned out – a bit more casually elegant, with less screaming colour vibes. Maybe more suitable for busy working days, in a look that can easily carry through to an after-work dinner.
Both original pieces are Marc O’Polo shirts – same pattern, similar colour tone, but different cuts. My husband used to wear them non-stop, until the collars and cuffs started tearing and became visibly damaged.
Now, all the perfectly good cotton fabric parts are combined into one unique, beautiful blouse you’re going to love and wear again and again for years to come.
Blouse With Big Pleats Made to Order
This Big Pleats Blouse is available as a Made-to-Order piece in the Shop.
One-of-a-kind each time, each telling a different story I hope you’ll want to be part of.
Depending on availability, the end result can vary in style. That said, I’m leaning more toward Ready-to-Wear-out-of-the-menu pieces (what you see is what you get), but for that I need your input.
Send me your wishes (size, length, style, fabric, colour) directly to frenzy@frenzyloop.com, or subscribe to our newsletter below to get the first news and special offers:
So maybe this is what luxury looks like today – not the ones without a flaw, but the fabric worth saving, and finishing it well anyway.
Close the loop.
Enter the FrenzyLoop.
