It’s no secret that the rise of the fast fashion industry, and the rapid disposal of clothing has transformed the lifecycle of fashion, resulting in numerous negative effects environmentally. However, it would be remiss to neglect exploring the impacts fast fashion has also had on style and individuality.
There is much to be said about the way social media continues to influence our relationship to fashion, as well as what and how we are buying. In a culture where marketing to consumers has never been easier, it can be difficult to escape the sea of influencers urging us to buy the latest clothing item. Despite the obvious increase in fast fashion retailers, there are many fashion enthusiasts out there with the same concerns, and interest in sustainable shopping. Fashion is cyclical, meaning we are constantly seeing aesthetics and trends pop up or reemerge, and big clothing brands capitalise on this by producing these trends fast and on a mass scale. We often see these clothes only months later discarded when the next newest trend is declared.
However, second-hand and vintage shopping has also been popularised over the last few years with the resurgence of Y2K, and content creators garnering audiences for their TikTok “op-shop hauls” and “thrift-flips”. Most recently on my own FYP I’ve come across a movement known as “de-influencing”, where users are helping to dispel the myths surrounding the supposed necessity of over consumption, and encouraging others to reuse what they already have in their wardrobes instead of making another new purchase.
As someone who is a lover of fashion, and someone who endeavours to shop more sustainably, purchasing second hand allows me to be conscious of my own involvement in the consumption of fashion. Shopping pre-loved items also allows me to explore my sense of style without giving into fleeting trends that break the bank and don’t express my own sense of individuality. That’s why I am especially excited for Cirqular – the latest fashion platform to launch in Australia this year, offering a modern alternative for style-conscious women who want to buy better. Launching this year, the brand dedicates itself to rethinking the fashion lifecycle by taking pre-loved pieces, repairing, reworking and restyling them to create something new. Cirqular intends to give new life to used clothing and encourages mindful shopping as the standard for the future of fashion.
The creator of Cirqular, Cheryl Centen, is encouraging the conversation surrounding fast fashion trends, overconsumption, and the erasure of uniqueness. Through Cirqular, she aims to encourage mindful shopping as a form of self-expression and individuality – finding one’s own personal style ethically, whilst still prioritising beauty. The brand isn’t just demonstrating this through their clothing, and aims to educate shoppers on editing, redesigning, repairing, or upgrading their clothes, and the art of falling back in love with some of your wardrobe favourites.
Cheryl Centen, founder of Cirqular
Drop 0 – “Then Meets Now”, Cirqular’s debut capsule collection, is a testament to the brand’s ethos and encapsulates the “new” that can be reborn from old or pre-loved. Effortlessly chic, the collection takes tried and true silhouettes like the classic oversized blazer and reinvents it to create something that will allow its wearer to showcase their individual style, whilst also bringing environmental conscientiousness to the forefront of their minds. A personal favourite of mine is the Jackie Shirt – a reimagined button-up, modernised to create a fresh look without compromising quality and longevity. Each item has been reworked with care and purpose, extending the lifecycle of a previously discarded garment, redesigned and made into a brand-new, iconic piece – all locally in Australia.
Drop 0 – Then Meets Now
Many of the pieces from their debut collection, like their reimagined CeeCee Jacket, I love the uniqueness of this piece. A Levi’s classic with a vintage Sportscraft tweed is just the beginning in terms of what is actually possible in the world of redesign.
In recent years the death and resurgence of print media has sparked many to return to physical literature and art forms, and much like shopping second-hand, print media has demonstrated a similar renewal in popularity. Despite the creation of social media and digital publications, handmade magazines shared with friends and thumbing through a paper magazine continue to be valued forms of art and creativity. From their initial inception, we have always looked to fashion magazines as a source of inspiration to fuel the discovery of one’s own style, and seeing a nostalgic return to this printed media further encourages self governed aesthetic exploration. We crave to touch and feel something tangible and phenomenons like junk journaling and collaging are embracing this desire and allowing us to create things that are a true form of self expression. Cirqular believes your wardrobe should feel the same way. Taking apart old magazines, cutting out pictures and weaving them together to create something new, like a vision board for example, lends itself to the same principles of the Cirqular brand, and their garment reinvention process.
Resale, repair, and restyle your wardrobe with Cirqular
With textile and garment waste being a major factor in why people are choosing to rethink their wears, it is no surprise that people are wishing to make a shift from cheaply made, mass produced items, to bespoke and sustainable pieces that truly reflect our style. With countries like France taking massive steps forward in reducing garment waste through banning fast fashion retailers, it is disheartening to see Australia being named one of the globe’s largest contributors to the epidemic. Being an Australian made brand, Cirqular is at the forefront of turning the tables of the current landscape, not only by rethinking the lifecycle of a garment and encouraging responsible yet fashionable shopping, but also with their groundbreaking membership CIRQ. Becoming a member gives those who sign up exclusive access to Cirqular’s restyling wardrobe services and is designed to help you re-love, re-wear and re-home your pieces. It’s not just a brand – it’s a whole new way to shop! Their mission is to keep your clothes in longer use, inspire your creativity to re-wear them in different ways, and just like the TikTok de-influencing movement, de-influencing us and reducing the moments when you think to yourself “I need to buy a new outfit”.
So if you are looking to fall back in love with your own clothes, or to invest in some pre-loved pieces that ignite your inner stylist, submit a piece you once loved from your wardrobe for a new revival. Cirqular is giving 15 minute free wardrobe consults to get started (spaces are limited) via their website.
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