The fashion and motor industries both share a common problem – a surplus of waste materials. Raising awareness of this and finding solutions through collaboration is what inspired Hyundai‘s Re:Style initiative.
Hyundai Re:Style 2020 sees the vehicle manufacturer team up with 6 sustainably-minded designers to create fashion, accessory and jewellery pieces made of scrap materials left over from the automobile industry.
The six designers involved are Richard Quinn, Aligheri, E.L.V Denim, Public School, Rosie Assoulin and pushBUTTON. Each designer is a trailblazer in their field and was chosen because they share Hyundai’s vision of finding more sustainable ways to create the products we all love. The pieces created by each brand include:
E.L.V Denim: Upcycled denim (which the brand uses in all of their designs) is combined with car leather to create a contrasting panelled jumpsuit.
pushBUTTON: South Korean designer Seung Gun Park has created a zip-up vest, made using airbag fabric while keeping the original details of the airbag as part of the design.
Alighieri: A jewellery collection by the British brand featuring necklaces, chokers and bracelets. Seatbelts, glass and foam have been repurposed and combined with silver, gold and freshwater pearls.
Rosie Assoulin: Seatbelt webbing, carpet and foam have been reworked to create a chic, woven tote bag.
Public School: The NYC-based design duo recently revised their business model and now use as much surplus or recycled material as possible in their clothing. For Re:Style they have created a utility vest made from seatbelt webbing and airbag fabric.
Richard Quinn: The London-based designer, renowned for his bold prints, has created a floral printed corset top made from airbags.
Executive vice president and global chief marketing officer for Hyundai Motors, Wonhong Cho states; “By demonstrating that discarded resources can be reimagined into valuable products, Hyundai Motor encourages more industries to see waste as a recreative opportunity and to work collaboratively toward an environmentally accountable and economically efficient future.”
Sales from the collection will raise funds for the British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF). The IPF is working to bring together experts from different industries to create change and find sustainable solutions for the future.
The Hyundai Re:Style 2020 collection will be available for purchase online at Selfridges.com on October 13.
All images in this article are courtesy of Hyundai.
