UPCYCLING OPTIMISM
Thu 6 Oct
Words David Hellqvist
It used to be that if you cared about the environment but wanted to go shopping you were left with the options of cork sandals and hemp T-shirts. It was a look, for sure, but at that time being conscious was a life choice with consequences. Ironically, of course, that hemp and cork combo might go down quite well today but that’s not the point.
Today is a different world: the ability to stand out and to express individuality are absolutely key, whether the clothing is sustainable or not. Brands like Danish brother and sister duo (Di)vision are part of a new generation of designers enabling us to dress responsibly and differently by ‘creating from what already is.’
Founded by Simon and Nanna Wick in 2018, the Copenhagen-based brand has steadily grown a loyal fanbase by developing a wardrobe based on pre-existing garments. Starting out small, catering for their immediate community, the sibling’s style and modus operandi quickly hit that sweet spot, how to dress responsibly without compromising on style.
(Di)vision has a youthful audience as Simon and Nanna mix their own pop-cultural influences with a firm democratic pricing – which is difficult to achieve when scaling fashion based on upcycling – and they are now a headline act at Copenhagen Fashion Week, entertaining a growing fanbase of loyal customers and spearheading a new wave of responsible fashion brands.
What would you say make (Di)vision stand out from other brands?
We’re a fashion brand but our core values are different from the rest of the industry as using pre-existing materials defines our creative process. Fashion brands need to be responsible today, so we are aiming for that while still trying to make it look cool. But it’s not a brand just focused on sustainable fashion, we’re about culture and community as well, it’s an impression of what the youth is about today.
David: How does using pre-existing garments affect your design process?
Simon: We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We obviously take our brand seriously, but we are not schooled in a traditional way, so we don’t have to follow that framework. We go with our gut feeling. When we started out, we saw (Di)vision more as a concept than a traditional brand. Because of how we source material, we have to use what we find, not necessarily what we want. We see it like this, we create blueprints for garments that we can then use whatever deadstock fabrics we can access to make them. Some brands are bound to certain fabrics because of who they are or what season it is, but we are a lot freer in that sense. That’s what I mean by not taking ourselves too seriously because we can’t take the approach where we say that we must have something in black, because we might not find anything in black to use!
What is about the brand that you think your consumers connect with and keep coming back?
We’ve always been very transparent with how we make things and where stuff comes from. But, obviously, not everyone wants or needs to know what T-shirt was used to make their sweater, so I also think they connect with us because they feel seen and because we make room for all types of people in our community. Our pieces are also, per definition, limited in numbers because of how we produce, which means we tend to have a lot more drops with fewer quantities and – going back to the idea of a blueprint – we can change details on them as we go along. For example, for our bomber jacket – probably our most well-known garment – I think we’ve done it in over 50 colourways since it launched, so there is room to be individual and unique.
How does the concept of upscaling work as you grow, and what attracted you to that way of working in the first place?
Every time I go into a thrift store, I get excited. I might be looking for a new jacket or a new trench coat, but I don’t know what’s there so there’s endless possibilities in terms of fit, fabric and colour. And if you go to a traditional fashion store or look at a brand’s website, you’ll most likely have seen that product before or know what it will look like from having seen show images and so on, so it’s actually quite difficult to get surprised at that stage. We obviously have had to scale the brand when working with stores but it’s still really important for us to be reactive and that’s why we have our sub-line, (Di)construct. When we do our fashion shows a lot of the pieces on the catwalk are from the (De)construct line to make sure that what people see are truly unique and special, and that way we don’t have to compromise.
You work with your sister, how is that? What are the pros and cons with such a tight knit working relationship?
We work really well together. We have different roles within the company, which helps. It probably wouldn’t be so peaceful if we both wanted to be the designer! Nanna is head of design and I’m the creative director, looking after more of the visual identity, marketing and brand building. We have opposite skillsets in many ways but of course we sometimes disagree and fight – but we are used to that as brother and sister, ha. We are actually quite a family-orientated company as my brother-in-law works here full time and our dad is also helping out. Starting the brand was my idea but I had no formal training. I was working in a fashion store so I was exposed to great clothes which inspired me but I had no idea what to do with my ideas, and that’s when I asked Nanna to help me realise them.
You’re from Denmark but do you identify with anything Danish in terms of your ethical outlook or aesthetic?
I think the most Danish aspect of us is our democratic way of thinking, something that Scandinavian countries are quite famous for around the world. There isn’t really that much Danish about the way our clothes look, but we have a very inclusive way of looking at our company and shopping experience. There’s a bit of a rebellion going on in Danish fashion at the moment, a lot of the young brands showing at Copenhagen Fashion Week have a different point of view of the world. I’d say we have more of a global perspective at (Di)vision, a truly international brand in that sense.
What does the future of the fashion industry look like, what will happen to sustainability tomorrow?
I’d say most of the challenges are on the production side. How can we revolutionise that process, making sure garments are produced in the most ethical way, that sure sub-contractors and labourers are not underpaid, that no chemicals are used and so on? But I’m actually quite optimistic about it all, even though there is still a long way to go. I think greenwashing is something we really have to look out for, brands promising to change but ignoring other aspects of what they do. I think the solution is to educate the consumer and that’s why I said early on that we always try to be transparent with what we do.
What inspired the SS23 collection?
We love to work with pop cultural references for our collections and our SS23 collection is no exception. It draws heavy inspiration from the cult war movie Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola, both in look and feel. The collection is inspired by 70s US military uniforms as well as the anti-war protests taking place in the same era but in a more androgynous and contemporary approach. With everything happening in the world we wanted to elaborate on the difficult themes of the film, from war to its psychological impact on people, which feels very relevant in today’s world of conflict.
Are there any key pieces you want to highlight?
Yes, our upcycled denim program that we are launching this season. Together with one of our suppliers we are creating garments made from the leftovers of an upcycling process. For example, they have cut off the legs of unsold jeans to make shorts, and we then use the cut off leg tubes to make patchwork fabric. Basically, upcycling from already upcycled products!
What are you doing tomorrow?
Tomorrow I actually have to go to my dad’s birthday party. Like we don’t see each other enough in this family, haha.
CREDITS
Photography Jack Tyler
Direction, styling and words David Hellqvist, Document Studios
Model Hetti Xue, Heads Agency
Hair and Make up Chloe Botting