Netflix’s highly watched ‘Next in Fashion’ snapped back big time with season 2! The reality TV show is keeping pace with up-and-coming fashion designers as they create attires according to pop culture-related briefs, which are judged by an array of expert guest designers and influencers. While themes like ‘Thrift Wear’ and ‘Met Gala’ serve viral style, ‘Royalty’ and ‘Everything Old is New’ taps into more reliance on costume than innovation. But, let’s take a step back and reel into the episode that mattered to us most: Thrift Wear!

In this episode of Next in Fashion season 2, the contestants delved into a snobbery-free challenge where they had to create high-fashion looks using only thrifted, pre-loved items, and preexisting garments and accessories in 4 hours only. Is that even possible? It is and the stakes are high; they were not allowed to use their own fabric. The goal was to encourage sustainability in the fashion industry by showing that it is possible to create beautiful and innovative designs without relying on new materials. Co-host and supermodel Gigi Hadid pointed out the bits: this challenge is all about the hottest, most essential and impactful trend in the fashion world right now, RECYCLED FASHION.

To us, this is not just a passing trend or a marketing gimmick but an urgent need to address the environmental and social hazards of fast fashion.

Let’s break it down for you. The current fashion industry operates on a linear model, also known as the “take-make-waste” model. This means that the industry takes raw materials, makes them into clothing, and then discards them once they are no longer useful. This approach is highly unsustainable and causes significant damage.

Think of it this way: your wardrobe is filled with beautiful clothing from different places, and the moment you get bored with them, you throw them away, only to replace them with new items. Have you ever paused to reflect on the cost and consequences of this consumer pattern?

We know you are now, and that’s a great start!

Circular fashion, on the other hand, is an alternative model that aims to create a closed-loop system where materials are reused, repurposed, or recycled. This approach reduces resource consumption, curbs pollution, and improves working conditions. It challenges the way the fashion industry operates and reshapes our perception of fashion and shopping habits.

Now, when you’re investing in a designer piece, knowing it will last for years, you’re gradually building a more conscious wardrobe—because you wouldn’t just throw your designer bag away! Instead, you might hold onto it or sell it to someone eager to own it while making a profit.

The same logic applies when shopping for pre-loved luxury pieces! Awareness, education, and responsibility are all it takes to shift towards practices that benefit both the environment and individuals. The circular economy principles allow us to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Learn more about the fashion-conscious movement.

Now, let’s take a look back at the prime embodiment of circular fashion with the look that swept us away!

The pre-loved clothing aficionado Nigel brought his A-game to the challenge and completely knocked it out of the park. Denim was already his signature aesthetic, but when he blended it with parts of pre-loved clothes like an ombré bubble coat and a jersey garment, the end result was nothing short of a magnum opus.

The judges couldn’t stop raving about Nigel’s stunning puffer jacket that had a relaxed, oversized fit and a slightly boxy silhouette. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, he even added detailing from the puffer jacket to the inside of the button pants! Talk about attention to detail!

It’s safe to say that Nigel’s design was the ultimate representation of forward fashion. His agility and dexterity in illustrating fashion-sustainable statement looks that will live on is an ideal to look up to! This is no news for him. In fact, the designer made his debut with thrift wear ever since his youth and built up momentum, validating that sustainable fashion can be both aesthetically pleasing and eco-conscious!

Tan France’s words captured the scene perfectly: “Sustainable fashion is pushing the industry forward,” and despite the challenges, the designers were pushed to create a range of awe-inspiring upcycled looks, each one demonstrating their flair. If you’re passionate about everything fashion and have a knack for sustainability, head to Libas Collective UAE, your go-to community-based marketplace to shop pre-loved clothes online!

Grow your awareness of circular fashion and delve deep into our sustainability articles at The Crypt!