#aluc

Image courtesy of Upcycling Fashion Store

Check out the Upcycling Fashion Store projects each week in How.Do as Arianna and her peers take you on a journey of inspiration and recreation. We chat more to Arianna about their fashion adventures below.

How did you become interested in the Upcycling movement and have you noticed changes in the scene in recent years?

I got to know upcycling while working in the design studio of From Somewhere in London. This fashion label is one of the pioneers of upcycling, starting the use of leftover materials for their collections more than 15 years ago. 

Another important influence was reading the book "Cradle to Cradle" by Michael Braumghart and William McDonaugh. The book explains clearly the difference between upcycling and downcycling. In the last years we have experienced in Germany a really radical change in our customers' knowledge about upcycling and sustainable fashion in general. This has certainly to be linked to the growing media attention to the social and environmental problems connected to the fashion system, but also to the future of many independent projects like ours. 

Image courtesy of Posh Photographie

What is the craziest project you have created using upcycling?

Once in London we made for From Somewhere a beautiful and crazy wedding dress out of shirts and...knickers!!

Tell us about your store, your business partners and how you all came to be working together?

We are a team of four people. Arianna (myself), Luise, Carina and Jonathan. Before starting up our company we were so aware of the ecological and social impact emerging from the fashion system that our life choices brought all of us to London. There we worked together at From Somewhere and we had the chance to see the upcycling processes closer. Since we started working with the upcycling concept, it has been clear for us that our mission is to spread this new design approach! 

We decided to move to Berlin in Spring 2010 to establish our upcycling fashion label aluc. In November 2011 we decided to try to open the first Upcycling pop-up store. Through these first 3 months of Upcycling Fashion Store we understood the importance of having a fixed spot in town, where people can go even just to talk about the concept and where we can share our knowledge while giving a window to many small local designers.

Aluc label image by David Nassim

Who are your role models in upcycled fashion and what do you aspire to with your label Aluc?

One of our upcycling role models is the Finnish label Globe Hope. They are the first who managed to produce upcycling fashion on a bigger scale. Their designs are just amazingly smart and beautiful. 

With our aluc shirt and blouse collections we aspire to bring into the international business and casual apparel markets a real alternative in terms of style, sustainability, quality and durability of the product.

Any messages on upcycling you'd like to share?

Yes, definitely. Upcycling is accessible to everyone and can be applied to every aspect of living!

Who can we expect to see in the Upcycling Fashion Store How.Do series?

Creative people interested in crafts, style and original products. And of course people who know the real value of materials and things. 

Any special plans or upcoming events we should know about?

Our shop will soon be 2 years old! For this event in combination with the Advent period we are planning a series of small happenings. And, of course, you shouldn't miss a visit to our store as well as the Ethical Fashion Show during Fashion Week in January!

Find these and more Upcycling Fashion Store micro guides in How.Do now.

MOBILE PHONE POUCH a micro guide by Upcycling Fashion Store on HowDo