Nowadays, there’s hardly a conversation about fashion that does not include sustainability. For consumers, it’s about how to shop less and how to shop better. For designers, it’s about reevaluating their creative processes and embracing eco-friendly practices. Beyond opting for timeless, high-quality designs that guarantee wearability, an innovative blend of materials opens up a world of possibilities for sustainable fashion.
Dress, Abadia from Net-A-Porter. Shoes, Giuseppe Zanotti.
Dress, Louise Boase from Redress. Shoes, Giuseppe Zanotti.
Dress, Abadia from Net-A-Porter. Scarf, Max & Co..
Ayumi Kajiwara, for one, is a master of repurposing materials. Often a kaleidoscopic explosion of colour and textures, her contemporary, almost sculptural designs often blur the lines between visual art and fashion. She defines her practice as “emotional haute couture” for its ability to transform discarded material scraps and everyday found objects—bottle caps, shells, and car emblems to name a few—into articles of clothing that stitch together the myriad lives of anonymous people.
Set to graduate from the Royal College of Art with a Master’s degree in Fashion, Kajiwara’s work has featured in Byredo’s 2023 Holiday campaign and earned her the Pyratex prize at the Bilbao International Art and Fashion’s 9th Fashion and Accessories contest. The emerging designer’s textural storytelling ability and environmentally conscious philosophy has not only garnered attention from international brands and companies, but resonated with individuals like multi-disciplinary artist and model, Abbey Penna. A serendipitous encounter at the Central Saint Martins loading bay led to a creative collaboration between the two Asian talents, with Penna modelling Kajiwara’s design for the CSM graduate fashion show and the “Sustainability meets Diversity” campaign by Christopher P. Their acquaintance is but one example of the power of fashion to not only narrate stories, but to forge meaningful connections that transcend the dimensions of artistic expression.
Photography: Oscar Chik
Styling: Kyle Tang
Model: Abbey Penna
Makeup Artist: Vanessa Wong
Hair Stylist: Dickson Chan
Fashion Assistant: Mama Yiu
Photography Assistant: Gloria Tang
Editor
VOGUE HONG KONG
