Upcycling at Inkoo: collaboration with Lucie 'Wabi-Sabi'

Inkoo has recently been lucky enough to work with Lucie, designer of the brand ‘Wabi-Sabi’, to give a second life to our faulty textiles.

Key points

Lucie, a former anthropologist turned fashion designer, changed careers after discovering the social and environmental abuses of the textile industry during her training. 

Driven by a simple but fundamental question, ‘Why produce something new when so much textile already exists?’, Lucie founded her design studio based on re-use, a model that is both creative and sustainable.

This collaboration was very close to our hearts. For some time now, Inkoo has been questioning the ecological impact of textile printing and the fate of those garments which, because of a logo error or an accidental stain, were in danger of being discarded. 

Lucie shares this same commitment: for her, every textile deserves to be valued. Drawing on her experience and her anti-waste vision, she transforms each piece into a unique work of art, removing damaged or faulty parts and enhancing them with original colours and patterns.

Adding value, passing on and transforming

Lucie doesn't just transform textiles; she also passes on her skills. Passionate about sharing, she regularly runs workshops where she teaches people how to repair, transform and sew clothes in a sustainable way.

This approach is at the heart of our joint project.

During our last collaboration, Lucie created a reel on Instagram which was very well received: she showed the different stages in transforming Inkoo textiles. 

From the analysis of the areas to be reworked (logos, stains, small defects) to the final creation, she explained her creative process and the challenges of each piece with touching sincerity.

A unique method for unique pieces

Working with Lucie means discovering a deeply creative and responsible way of making the most of what already exists. She begins by analysing each garment to identify what needs to be changed. From there, she imagines how to transform each piece by integrating new elements, while minimising offcuts and waste.

Thanks to this technique, the recycled pieces are not only impeccable, but also unique: the colours, patterns and specific constraints of each garment dictate the artistic direction, making each creation original and impossible to reproduce.

This approach is a perfect illustration of the quote that guides Lucie in her work: ‘In the midst of every difficulty lies a hidden opportunity’. 

It is by starting from the constraints imposed by the initial imperfections that she succeeds in recreating pieces that are perfectly integrated into a responsible and sustainable fashion circuit.

A collaboration that's only just begun

With the first collection from our partnership with Lucie just around the corner, we can't wait to share the final pieces with you and show you the whole transformation process.

Each one is the result of meticulous work, a sincere commitment to sustainability and a desire to raise awareness of a way of consuming that is more respectful of our planet. You can find all these unique pieces at Algo Store, an eco-responsible fashion boutique in the heart of Namur.