Vegan accessories label Sans Beast has undertaken a handbag upcycling project in collaboration with fashion and textile students at RMIT.
The students worked in teams, pulling bags apart, studying the construction, and then reconfiguring them into new items. The aim was to investigate a test case for upcycling Sans Beast bags, potentially turning this concept into something scalable.
These pieces are now on display at the Emporium Melbourne as part of Melbourne Fashion Week, under the Fashion Capsules exhibition banner.
Sans Beast founder and creative director Cathryn Wills said the students gained great insight into the construction of a handbag.
“They’ve meticulously pulled the bags apart, and noted every layer, pattern piece, hardware element, stitch line and edgepaint marking – before beginning the task of reassembling the pieces in a new form.
“From our point of view at Sans Beast, it’s been fascinating to get a glimpse into how the students reimagine a receptacle for carrying things.”
According to Wills, they have made various items such as keep cup holders slung on a belt, a wine/baguette bag, and a “utilitarian deconstructed ‘rig’ that is a morph between battle gear.”
“It’s also reminded us that creativity is the birth of everything,” she said. “We may be running a business, but ideas will always be at the core of what makes a difference in the world.”
Wills further noted that this was an incubator style project, noting that she is very aware of how difficult the notion of upcycling is when it comes to scaleability.
“However, starting small is the way to test ideas and the appetite for upcycling,” she said. “This is the start of this notion for us, and we’ll continue to push this project as the years go on.”
From this upcycling test, Sans Beast will continue to embed sustainable traits into its overall strategy in a bid to further the business.
“Repair, recycle, upcycle, share and rental are all part of the fashion world we wish to see.
“We have both commercial and ethical imperatives behind what we do,” Wills said. “[We] will continue to tell our story amidst a sea of leather and animal derived goods on the market, aiming to inspire people to think differently about the use of animals in fashion, with every bag we create.”
The pieces were installed at the Emporium Melbourne over the weekend, sharing the space with two other artists, designer Tom McEvoy as well as Screenwear, who create augmented interactive fashion.
The entire exhibition is curated by art director Marissa Wood and Screenwear founder Rosanna Li, and styled by MOTH design.
“The gallery space went live on Monday, October 10, and eyes so far on the project have been curious.
“We’re excited to see people come into the space throughout the week, culminating in a hive of activity on Friday night for Vogue Fashion Night Out.”