“We hope it inspires people to consider the lifecycle of the clothing they design, manufacture and own.”

This year’s Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) saw an increased focus on rethinking the way we create and consume fashion. Circularity was the word on everyone’s lips, particularly at the closing runway of AAFW, ReCouture.

In collaboration with Thread Together, an Australian not-for-profit whose purpose is to reduce the amount of new clothing ending up in landfill by providing it to Australians in need, Afterpay invited prominent We Wear Australian designers to repurpose men’s business suits into couture pieces. 

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The runway featured over 80 Australian designers, including Mariam Saddiq, Genevieve Smart, Jordan Gogos and Bianca Spender. Thread Together chose to highlight discarded men’s suits in its collaboration because the demand for suits has waned in a post-pandemic world where people aren’t in the office as frequently. Anthony Chesler, the CEO of Thread Together, tells me “There are more men’s suits available for redistribution than there is demand for these suits, with gentlemen choosing more relaxed clothing.” 

An industry-wide shift towards sustainability has already begun but there’s still work to be done. “We believe there needs to be cross-industry collaboration and an investment in technology made by government and businesses to create scalable solutions for excess fashion. This will be crucial in driving progress towards a more circular, sustainable future of fashion that shifts Australia’s perception of sustainability within the industry,” Anthony says.

Afterpay’s Co-Founder Ant Eisen is similarly focused on textile waste and reminds me that 227,0000 tonnes of textiles end up in landfill each year. “The ReCouture initiative aims to highlight a crucial issue within the fashion industry – excess clothing stock. We hope it inspires people to consider the lifecycle of the clothing they design, manufacture and own,” he explains.

Ant describes the collaboration between Afterpay and Thread Together as integral in upholding Afterpay’s pillar of sustainability. “It’s been an honour to partner with like-minded organisations. Collaborating with organisations such as Thread Together further drives the message forward,” he says.

The bespoke collection of reworked suits featured on the ReCouture Runway was created by both emerging and established designers and sparked conversation around upcycling, deadstock fabric and circularity. 

For the designers, the runway presented an opportunity to experiment with different structures and fabrications. Designer Mariam Saddiq described the process as “thrilling”, telling me that transforming discarded clothing presented her with a unique challenge. “There is something exciting about only having a certain quantity and limit. The garment then becomes a forever piece for the client.”

You can read Afterpay Australia’s report on Australian fashion’s new era here.