A sustainable fashion concept from Trinity Leeds will see up-and-coming designers showcased alongside local fashion brands and second-hand sellers in a 12-week pop-up this summer.
It’s called Re:Pair Lab, a new initiative from Trinity Leeds owner Landsec, partnering with Leeds Beckett University and Wayne Hemingway – co-founder of HemingwayDesign.
Launching tomorrow, Re:Pair Lab will promote sustainability, creativity, and community, featuring rotating residencies from Leeds fashion students, designers and fashion businesses, who will collaborate with charity retailer Emmaus to repair and transform clothing that would otherwise end up in landfill, into new garments and collections.
The in-house designers will also sell their own creations, alongside curated rails from second-hand and sustainable sellers from Leeds who will have the chance to build upon their online success on websites such as DePop and Vinted with a physical presence.
Re:Pair LAB has been designed to support Leeds-based creatives and small businesses by providing a platform to test out ideas without the stresses of significant financial investment. Re:Pair LAB is a physical space for up-and-coming designers and sustainable businesses to innovate, collaborate, and thrive.
Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds, said: “We are always listening and adapting to what guests want to see here at Trinity Leeds, and our research proves there is a clear demand for a service like this with sustainability at its heart, which also gives us the opportunity to collaborate with local creatives and shine a light on the talent we have right here in Leeds.”
Sam Hudson-Miles, Course Director of Fashion at Leeds Beckett University, said: “Leeds Beckett Fashion is delighted to support the Re:Pair Lab initiative as an educational partner. As the most connected and dynamic fashion course in the city, we bring our creative energy to this project through involvement from our students, emerging and established designers with a sustainable ethos, and businesses such as vintage resellers, launched by our Professor of Fashion, Matty Bovan.
“Re:Pair Lab aligns with our commitment to celebrate and retain fashion talent in Leeds and its region. The initiative also furthers our allegiance to sustainable fashion design education. Re:Pair Lab is a pivotal opportunity for our students to test-bed the marketability of their collections and host workshops to demonstrate simple repair and upcycling methods that can be done at home, sharing skills and amplifying the slow fashion message. It’s a joy to bring together this Leeds-centric melting pot of creative fashion talent!”
