‘Reworking secondhand garments is so fulfilling. I’ve embraced a flamboyant aspect of myself’

The style favourite is booming amid a reducing value of residing and an increase in inexperienced pondering. The as soon as area of interest secondhand market is now on monitor to account for 10% of world gross sales, whereas eBay has simply eliminated charges for sellers of used clothes.

In our Second Nature collection, we reveal this rising pattern and meet the beloved pioneers who’re serving to to popularize it. 1,000,000 miles away from their austere, moth-eaten popularity of yesteryear, they contemplate their favourite merchandise to be elegant, expressive and enjoyable.

For the ultimate article within the collection, we meet Nicole Akong – a designer, maker, alteration skilled and second-hand trend influencer with a expertise for embellishment, who was a finalist within the 2020 collection of the Nice British Stitching Bee the BBC. Throughout her childhood in Trinidad, the selection of imported clothes was restricted, so Akong grew up round tailoring. She now resides in London.

I'm Nicole

It took a very long time for Nicole Akong to provide herself permission to purchase ready-made garments once more after showing on the BBC's Nice British Stitching Bee. The general public anticipated her to at all times be wearing garments she made herself. However after diving into charity purchasing a few summers in the past on the request of her then-teenage daughter, who had joined buddies on charity purchasing journeys and requested her mom if she would tag alongside, Akong discovered the right medium. area: transformation of second-hand clothes.

“It felt like I used to be doing one thing wholesome as a result of I'm supporting a charity however I'm additionally shopping for one thing that may in any other case find yourself within the landfill,” Akong says. “I started to see stitching patterns as fairly restrictive and making from scratch made me fatigued when making selections. Now I alter what I don't like or elevate garments in a approach that fits me higher. It’s rewarding, actually I discover it rather more enjoyable as a inventive course of.”

Akong prefers the time period “transformation” to “recycling” and remodel does. Whereas others would possibly add a easy patch to cowl the burn holes on the pink striped shirt (pictured) he purchased at an area kilo sale for £1, Akong shortened your entire garment, changed the cuffs and embellished it with mirror panels, sequins. , tassels, ribbon and ric-rac embroidery.

Elaborations are her stitching signature (additional evidenced by her self-made tassel-front pants). “As I've gotten older, I've undoubtedly adopted a way more colourful and flamboyant aspect that I'm unsure I’d have been assured in after I was in my 20s and 30s,” she tells Constructive Information.

It could appear like a celebration shirt to some, however for Akong it crammed the necessity for a trendy piece to put on to high school gatherings. Having a “thoughts for events” is important on your thrift purchasing journeys and producing a design imaginative and prescient. “The second you see one thing that matches your wants, the dots will join,” he says.

Her follow might need developed after Stitching Bee, however she already had the knack for making a bomber jacket out of outdated garments, together with a colourful African dashiki, in the course of the present's Cut back, Reuse and Recycle week. “It didn't do nicely with the jury, however I like the mix of various influences.”

Akong describes her stitching expertise as empowering, however encourages everybody to embrace the transformation, even non-sewers. “There are folks with these expertise who love to make use of them, so why not allow them to?”

Pictures: I'm Nicole photographed for Constructive Information by Will Sanders