Upcycling designer Lou de Bètoly speaks about her work, the state of the fashion industry and where we go from here.
PHOTOGRAPHy_ ANTHONY SEKLAOUI
STYLIST_ ALLY MACRAE
MODEL_ IRIS delcourt (VIVa)
HIGH SANDALS_ MADE FROM RECYCLED SHOES, VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER, AND ELASTIC STRAPS FINISHED WITH MOLDED GLASS PEARLS_ FAUVEL X LUCILLE THIÈVRE_ FW20
LDB_ I have a rather glamorous approach I would say. I love the ideas of organized chaos, accumulation, and transformation. My work integrates a lot of detailed handcraft.
LDB_ I would describe upcycling, as it relates to my work, as twisting, deconstructing, and recreating something existing and devalued, to give it a new life and vision.
LDB_ I think there are different ways of being a designer. But one thing would be to rethink the process, show new possibilities, still feel free to create, but to be conscious of what you're putting into the world. To show a way out of the dead end of commerciality repeating itself over and over again and resulting in a lot of waste.