Catch This Sustainably-Minded Workshop by Designer Olivia Rubens

Rubens is internet hosting a livestreamed-workshop on Sunday, April 25 that can give attention to repurposing, mending knits and the method of finger knitting.

Since launching her eponymous line, sustainability-focused designer Olivia Rubens has been capable of depend quite a few accomplishments on her CV together with final 12 months’s win on the International Talent Support competition within the Accountable Style award class. Rubens additionally just lately joined the ranks of Reture, an e-comm platform that connects vogue creatives with customers seeking to give new life to previous clothes and equipment. Along with crafting upcycled items to promote on the location, Rubens will also be tapped to replace items out of your closet, do you have to be so inclined. And on Sunday, April 25 at 11 a.m. EST, she’s internet hosting a livestreamed-workshop by Style Open Studio as a part of Style Revolution Week. The occasion, which is open for registration now, will give attention to repurposing, mending knits and the method of finger knitting. Prematurely of the workshop, we caught up with Rubens to study extra about her artistic course of and why she’s captivated with sustainable design.

How has your model developed from a sustainability standpoint?

All through my BA I used to be extra into sluggish vogue. [Then] I gained a contest that was accomplished by Aveda known as “In Your Jeans;” there was a large pile of denim for us to make use of — it was like Undertaking Runway, the place they counted down for [the designers] to begin selecting supplies. I made a heavy hand-knit sweater from 15 pairs of denims, and it was extraordinarily rewarding to make one thing totally different from what it initially was. It was difficult to maneuver into upcycling — I used to be extra working with new supplies that had been sustainable and dealing on my dyeing practices. [But] I pushed to experiment extra with upcycling throughout my Masters. I really like [working with] denim particularly; I really like pulling aside the fibres. There are such a lot of issues you are able to do with it and it’s tremendous enjoyable to work with and remake.

You additionally gained the Accountable Style Award on the Worldwide Expertise Supply competitors in 2020. Are you a naturally aggressive individual?

I believe I’m naturally aggressive, but it surely’s extra a contest with myself, nearly. If I’m put right into a sure stage — like with my BA or my Masters — I all the time attempt to do very well inside that. It’s not competing with others, I simply wish to preserve pushing myself and reaching the highest of my potential. However this previous 12 months, I’ve taken time to decelerate; particularly since COVID hit, it’s such as you’re going so quick and doing all this stuff and then you definately marvel, “Why am I going so fast?”

How did you get entangled with Reture? Do you suppose this mannequin of creating garments is the way forward for vogue?

I’m very flattered they requested me to be a part of it. I’m excited to experiment with this totally different enterprise mannequin and assist individuals fall in love with their clothes once more and make it actually particular, or to remodel one thing {that a} member of the family might need given them and make it their very own. Whether or not it’s by dyeing one thing or making it a patchwork or shredding it and making it fully totally different, I believe it’s so cool that that is an possibility. I believe it’s going to redefine what being a designer is — I believe we might be extra adaptable and open-minded about working with different individuals’s [materials].

I hope that that is the way forward for vogue; it’s a very fascinating approach to offer accessibility to individuals who wish to assist designers however don’t essentially have the means of shopping for into their present collections. What you see proper now’s individuals doing customized work, and generally they may not have their very own ‘voice’ in that. They’re doing what the consumer needs, interval. What I discover fascinating about that is that the platform permits the consumer to choose which designer they like and resolve how a lot design management they wish to have; however the level is to get one thing with the designer’s point-of-view.

Designers are anticipated to make cheaper clothes to broaden their market and that’s exhausting to do in a accountable approach. The best way that vogue goes, individuals are questioning consumerism and quick vogue and searching extra in the direction of utilitarian items and their wardrobe to rejuvenate it. I’m hoping this can lead an enormous change in how we have a look at our clothes.

The place do you see the way forward for dressing going?

I’ve been considering a lot about this and about my function within the business. I like to create these loopy, enjoyable items and I hope that they’ve a cherished life. That’s the purpose. However you’ll be able to’t assist however marvel about what you’re making from a sustainability standpoint. What I’m fighting is that regardless of how a lot criticism that exists across the business, it’s nonetheless rocking on. And it’s irritating. I’m actually simply hoping individuals suppose extra about what they purchase.