The Revive & Thrive Effect: Save Your Wardrobe | GRR
Thanks to a grassroots movement championing traditional mending and tailoring, alterations and repairs have become mainstream practices, inspiring even big brands to offer more sustainable alternatives to the constant turnover of new collections. Rather than buying new this Spring Summer season, what about saving what’s already sitting in your wardrobe?
“Don’t buy this jacket,” said a Patagonia advert – for a jacket – in the New York Times way back in 2011. The message intended to get people thinking about the effect of consumerism on the environment and purchase only what they need. Instead of buying new – or buying again – the company encourages customers to sign up to ‘The Common Threads Initiative’ that offers repairs and the option to trade in used clothes for credit.
This may have seemed like a revolutionary act back in 2011, but today tailoring and mending is big business, with even luxury brands like Celine, Chanel, Givenchy and many more all offering to repair your purchases. Of course, the sentiment is nothing new. As many of Goodwood’s Revive & Thrive fans know, the most sustainable fashion choice is to dive back into your wardrobe for a second look. British brand Barbour’s heritage lies in craftsmanship, and for over a century, customers have been able to get their signature jackets restored with its re-waxing service.
This reuse, repair and relove mentality has humble origins in Goodwood’s heyday of the 1940s, when a “make do and mend” approach was pioneered by the Board of Trade to support a population dealing with rationing and general scarcity. Today, the cost of living crisis and concerns about the environment makes this trend more relevant than ever. In 2022, John Lewis reported that sales of craft and repair products surged 61 per cent on the year before, with repair kits and dressmaking accessories among its best sellers. Haberdashery Lead, Susan Kennedy elaborates, “We’re certainly becoming a nation of craft lovers. Whether they’re looking to rejuvenate their clothes or have been inspired by the likes of Tom Daley’s knitting efforts last year, more and more customers are turning to sewing, stitching, and knitting.” Clothing dye sales jumped 24 per cent – put down to the “refresh effect” – suggesting shoppers are looking to give a new lease-of-life to fading jeans and other beloved garments.
In Wear, Repair, Repurpose, author Lily Fulop welcomes beginner and experienced makers with projects to refresh their wardrobes, make the most of thrift store finds and give worn-out cloth new life. Illustrated step-by-step instructions demystify mending techniques and skill-based projects inspire readers to embrace their own personal style, with tips and step-by-step guides on how to darn socks, hem trousers and even embroider over stains. If you need visual support, the YouTube hashtag #fixingfashion has tons of helpful videos on everything from how to get rid of stains to fitting zips. There are also many in-person workshops to explore. The New Craft House in Hackney, for example – who offered sewing workshops at Revival’s Revive & Thrive Village in 2022 – runs bookable courses on darning and patching, as well as making new items from deadstock fabrics.
Here’s to a future where clothes fit and last
But do not fear. When you need professional help, there are a multitude of services that can help prolong the life of your most precious pieces. Launched in 2021, SOJO connects Londoners to a community of seamstresses who can collect and then deliver altered or repaired clothing to your door (through a bicycle delivery service) within five days. “It has been so incredible to see such a huge shift when it comes to consumer behaviour regarding sustainable fashion – like witnessing the huge rise of re-sale platforms like Depop," says founder Josephine Philips.
Indeed, Simon Beckerman, founder of Depop, was one of the investors who helped raise £1.9million in pre-seed funding for SOJO. “We are so excited to continue to drive circularity in the sector in a new way – through the repair and tailoring of our clothes,” says Josephine. Launched in 2021, SOJO offers its London based customers a seamless, door to door tailoring and repairs service through their in-house tailoring studio. Josephine adds: “It has been so incredible to see such a huge shift when it comes to consumer behaviour regarding sustainable fashion – like witnessing the huge rise of re-sale platforms like Depop.”
Ganni recently became the latest brand to join the growing restoration revolution in a collaboration with SOJO. Meanwhile, like Revival’s Revive & Thrive Village, Farfetch has teamed up with The Restory. Founded by Vanessa Jacobs after a high-street cobbler ruined her favourite shoes, the luxury aftercare specialists exists, “to restore your most-loved things to their former glory.”
“Fall in love with your favourites all over again”
Be it an irreplaceable vintage handbag or go-to party shoes with scuffed heels, The Restory specialises in invisible mending, with the aim of making something look as good as new. The brand brings ‘the art of the craft and the convenience of technology right to your doorstep’, investing in the next generation of artisans dedicated to solving seemingly impossible problems. “At The Restory, we see aftercare being as much a part of the fashion experience as buying the product to begin with," says Vanessa, "The items we receive are arguably the most loved; whether they hold a financial, functional or emotional value, our clients are invested in everything they send into us.”
This movement is all about cherishing what we love, investing in them for a lifetime of use, allowing our most treasured possessions to tell our story. At Goodwood Revival, our Revive & Thrive community has become a part of who we are, using this platform to pioneer a slower, more conscious approach to what we wear. So, we agree: don’t rush to buy the new jacket in the ad - repair one you already own, instead.