October 30, 2024 |
A sweater bedecked with embroidered flowers is made from Grace Wang’s personal stock of silkworms, a pearlescent whorled shell melts into a metallic chalice, a draped, backless dress is constructed using found materials. These, amongst others, are some of the innovative garments that take centre stage in APOC Store’s latest sustainably-oriented project: APOC Favourites: Upcycled.
Founded in 2020, the London-based platform, which sells pieces from independent designers around the globe, has gained a cult-like following of conscious customers by connecting them directly to the brands – which create what they want, when they want, without pressure from big bosses or conglomerates.
Now, the online marketplace’s latest release is spotlighting a cohort of designers who have created exclusive pieces with one thing in mind: upcycling. They have been restitching, repurposing and transforming pre-loved materials into entirely new creations, resulting in an array of garments, jewellery, bags and home accessories. The commissioned pieces are now available on APOC Store, with more to follow in bi-monthly drops continuing until the end of the year.
Here, we speak to the sustainably-minded designers involved about their artistic language, the importance of sustainable practices and how APOC is helping them to reach a wider audience. Joshua Beutum
AJILTEDBUTTPLUG
AJILTEDBUTTPLUG, founded by Sarah McCormack, creates work that is intricately precise yet presents itself as somewhat haphazard. After graduating from the University of Westminster (where McCormack took a year out to work in the industry, interning at Maison Margiela Artisanal in Paris under the creative direction of John Galliano), the Scotland-born designer completed an MA in Womenswear at Central Saint Martins. With an aim to respond intuitively to life’s spontaneity, McCormack’s designs blend artisanal practices like hand-dyeing and corsetry. Inspired by both the natural and preternatural world, McCormack’s contribution to APOC Favourites features seven looks which appear as if unearthed from ancient artefacts: deep purple, burgundy, khaki and browns all appear in organically draped lace and jersey.
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
The pieces I sell on APOC are the mollified children of a tragic, silk-embalmed enchantress. They are a hushed edition of the frenzied hand-sewn sculptural garments synonymous with my work. The garments are raw, romantic, irregular and polished-ly berserk.
What vision are you bringing to the APOC STORE drops?
The vision my work brings to APOC is: Primitive stabs at wicked banshee glamour, much like Tam-o-Shanter style heathens drunkenly cavorting with the impasto crusted skeletons of scorned lovers.
Do you have a favourite piece of yours from the most recent drop?
The ‘fossil’ and ‘relic’ gowns are my favourite garments. Both are archival pieces that lurked in the shadows for a few years, never quite complete. Through their gestations, they have been re-worked and re-dyed. Morbid fantasies of Frankenstein or mortician are at play when modifying and repairing these pieces. Animistic and ‘deadstock-phobic’– fearing the eerie-ness of the ‘brand new’, garments are resurrected through this necromantic dance with the lost souls of old silks.
The platform is all about repurposing and upcycling, how did this impact your design process, if at all?
By proxy of organic assemblage and a disposition towards the resources at hand, my work is holistically coded and involves minimal waste. Pieces are one-off and born from positive application of the materials I come across. Leftovers are hoarded and constructively utilised. The fundamental concept is rooted in continual transformation, lest ‘recycled’.
Julia Bonich
Based in Marseilles, Julia Bonich’s creative practice involves transforming everyday items like mirrors, seashells and hair into ethereal celebrations of domestic life – think chalices, vanities and sharp metal shoes – that would look great in a baroque iteration of Cinderella. Bonich raises bedrooms to royal boudoirs transforming common objects and intimate moments into timeless artefacts. JB
How would you describe your aesthetic?
I’m imbued with the baroque Disney aesthetic, inherited from the world of over-consumption and my childhood fantasies. Re-sacralised, I work on opulence before the end marked by different movements, such as rococo or rocaille, where ornament and illusion are at their peak. I recover and seize the objects that have obsessed us all: shiny, idealised, unreasoned artefacts with a baroque Disney aesthetic overplayed with artifice. Each piece is overloaded, an illusion made of poor materials: hair, clay, glue and strass.
What vision do you bring to APOC Store?
I’d like to bring a vision of young creation and emerging artists, particularly in Marseille. My practice explores the space between contemporary art, design and domestic art, with an inclusive re-reading of ideas affected by the feminine: from antiquity with the ‘gynaeceum’ to Disney tales.
Do you have a favourite piece from the latest collection?
My latest piece: Cinderella’s tear chalice.
The platform is all about reuse and recycling. What impact, if any, has this had on your creative process?
My creative process has always been based on recovery, through donation, second-hand or simply on the street. I love rummaging around and especially recovering the objects and toys I wanted as a child. I salvage and heal these leftover objects to give cursed princesses a dignified room to sleep in.
Photography by Emile Barret
Constança Entrudo
Raised between Lisbon and the island of Madeira, Constança Entrudo graduated from Central Saint Martins and worked for high-profile fashion brands like Balmain, Peter Pilotto and Marques’ Almeida before launching her namesake brand in 2018. The Lisbon-based label bridges the gap between technology and craft through innovative design practices like its signature method of “(un)weaving” to bond recycled polyester yarns, which, combined with bold digital prints and graphic designs, places the textile-focused womenswear brand at the forefront of subversive fashion. JB
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
Our design aesthetic is rooted in the idea of unweaving – where one element leads to another, and stories emerge by rejecting the loom and its traditional structures. It embodies nonchalant refinement, with deconstructed fabrics, bold graphics, irregular proportions, and distinguished styling that invite tactile engagement with the essence of each piece. I try to create with absolute freedom, free from preexisting design frameworks, using trial-and-error methods to push the boundaries of material and form, embracing unpredictability.
What vision are you bringing to the APOC Store drops?
Challenging the usual perceptions of textiles and their interactions with the body, the work pushes boundaries while emphasising the duality of fragility and durability. And, of course, the prints introduce visual elements and aesthetics that are not typical of traditional print design, adding a touch of humour and irony to the APOC selection.
Do you have a favourite piece of yours from the most recent drop?
Yes! the Unwoven Deconstructed T-shirts.
The platform is all about repurposing and upcycling, how did this impact your design process, if at all?
Since the beginning, our brand has focused on generating new fabrics using existing materials and leftovers from production. Being in an environment that promotes this, like APOC, makes so much sense.
PUER PARASITUS
Puer Parasitus – who has exhibited works at prominent art institutions like Matteo Cantarella and Den Frie Udstillingsbygning – fuses an artistic sensibility with repurposed materials to create one-of-a-kind garments that draw on themes of parenthood, sexuality and the bond between mother and child. Founded in 2022, the Copenhagen-based brand, an artistic research project by Sofie Winther creates sculptural pieces with an industrial edge, taking inspiration from costuming, text and set design. JB
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
Sculptural, disrupted, punk couture with high comfort.
What vision are you bringing to the APOC Store drops?
I’m challenging the usual stereotypes of who fashion is for. I want to appeal to the MILFs, femmes and queers – those who are navigating the fashion industry’s expectations and redefining self-expression.
Do you have a favourite piece from the most recent drop?
My favourite piece is the red couch jacket, it’s like a force of nature – an armour of a jacket made from an old leather couch.
How has the platform’s focus on repurposing and upcycling influenced your design process?
I don’t specifically brand myself around repurposing and upcycling because these concepts are already at the core of Puer Parasitus. They’re not just buzzwords for me – they’re the essence of the brand. For Puer Parasitus it’s not only about reducing waste or being sustainable, but also about the story and intent already present in the fabric or piece of clothing. For me, it’s about creative exploration, the comfort of the materials, and the emotional experience the clothes offer the wearer.
NENSI AVETISIAN
Based in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, Nensi Avetisian is an artist-designer whose clothing fuses Armenian traditions, culture and craft with a contemporary sensibility that blurs the line between heritage, innovation and utility. A graduate of the British Higher School of Design, Avetisian uses the same handmade materials, repurposed textiles and craft-based construction techniques in her art as she does in the development of her clothing collections. JB
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
My design aesthetic blends traditional patterns and textures into wearable, functional forms. Since the beginning of my journey, I’ve been inspired by the idea of bringing my cultural heritage into designs that are both meaningful and utilitarian.
What vision are you bringing to the APOC Store drops?
With Nensi Avetisian, my goal is to bring my culture to the broader stage. I want to contribute to the larger cultural conversation, not by ‘mimicking’ Western fashion aesthetics, but by exploring what I can bring to it from my unique perspective and background.
Do you have a favourite piece of yours from the most recent drop?
My favourite would definitely be the Draped Brown Jacquard Dress. I’m not entirely sure why, but I feel a deep connection to it – it just resonates with me in a special way.
The platform is all about repurposing and upcycling, how did this impact your design process, if at all?
Upcycling has been part of my practice since the start of the brand, and it has definitely shaped the aesthetic of Nensi Avetisian. Sustainability is one of our core principles, even if it’s not always obvious in the final design. We repurpose our toiles when possible, use deadstock fabrics and leather, and most importantly, most of our products are made to order, ensuring we don’t produce unnecessary garments that might end up in landfills.
Masculina
A favourite of subversive personalities like Michéle Lamy, Arca, Yves Tumor and Cobrah, Alectra Rothschild’s clothing brand, Masculina, has garnered great attention for its boundary-breaking fusion of femininity, sex and glamour. Based in Denmark, Rothschild studied at Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm and completed an MA in fashion design at London’s Central Saint Martins before breaking into the industry with a position at Casey Cadwallader’s Mugler and a freelance gig at Alexander McQueen. Now a regular at Copenhagen Fashion Week, Rothschild’s own brand offers an edgy, club-inspired take on contemporary dressing. JB
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
My design are about helping the wearer feel hot. The aesthetic can vary from slutwear to opulent and romantic garb. You can see this in my drop with the ruffle coats vs. the latex pieces. I would say there is always this dichotomy between high vs low, glamour vs. decay – what’s more glamorous than the decay of glamour?
What vision are you bringing to the APOC Store drops?
I’m bringing Masculina to APOC Store!
Do you have a favourite piece of yours from the most recent drop?
My favourite must be the fishnet latex cutout dress. The latex is a technique I developed myself with liquid latex in which I suspend upcycled fishnets and stockings into the latex.
The platform is all about repurposing and upcycling, how did this impact your design process, if at all?
I would say that upcycling and what I call “working with what you got” is an essential part of my label. we always repurpose and upcycle as a major part of each collection and drop so it’s perfect for me to work with a platform like Apoc Store
Grace Gui
With a farm-to-fashion approach that places sustainability front-and-centre, Grace Wang’s label, Grace Gui, sources materials solely from independent female farmers, as well as from Boots, a two-year old angora rabbit and the silkworks that populate her Bushwick studio. Combining three dimensional florals with American influences and references to Wang’s Chinese heritage – especially in silhouette – the one-of-a-kind hand-knit garments she makes would feel at home in a contemporary Garden of Eden. JB
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
My design aesthetic reflects my connection to nature and my upbringing in a multicultural environment. Growing up with traditions of sericulture through my grandma and experiencing the vitality of local farmland gave me a deep appreciation for raw, unrefined materials. I’m committed to sourcing fibres directly from local farmers and small, independent producers because I want each piece to reflect the integrity of the land and the people behind it. Using natural dyes and incorporating traditional methods allows me to honour the earth and the cultural heritage that shaped me. Each design isn’t just clothing; it’s an homage to my past and the values I carry forward – celebrating authenticity, sustainability, and respect for the natural world.
What vision are you bringing to the APOC Store drops?
Since my work primarily focuses on knitwear, I saw APOC’s upcycle drop as a chance to experiment by weaving my silk cocoon embroidery techniques into a more structured, tailored piece. I designed this look with the ‘corporate diaspora’ individual in mind – someone navigating professional spaces that often leave little room for cultural expression. My goal was to create a garment that both honours one’s heritage and provides a subtle yet meaningful outlet for self-expression within the corporate world’s constraints.
Do you have a favourite piece of yours from the most recent drop?
Yes! I like the Silk Cocoon Blazer in Navy. I love the oversized look as well as the spacing of the embroidery.
The platform is all about repurposing and upcycling, how did this impact your design process, if at all?
APOC’s upcycling prompt was an exciting opportunity to work beyond knitwear and bring new life to a classic men’s blazer – something I wouldn’t have considered without Jules’s direction. I took the chance to blend my silk cocoon embroidery techniques into this structured piece, adding cultural nuance to a traditional silhouette. The project allowed me to explore how heritage and personal expression could be woven into an unexpected medium, transforming a staple garment into something rich with new meaning.
Cruda
Headed by Costa Rican artist and designer Pamela Hernández, Cruda is adored for its innovative offering of chunky, eco-friendly shoes and bags. Based in Mexico, the brand has garnered a dedicated following for its exaggerated, at-times whimsical, chunky heels and extended soles which are hand-made using recycled leather, rubber and wood. JB
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
I believe, more than anything, our design aesthetic is influenced by our production process. The techniques that we use for our designs have been passed on through generations by shoe makers here in Mexico and Central America. The materials we use are all reutilised, discarded waste fabric locally sourced. Our design process is rooted in a reinterpretation and reutilisation of that which already exists. Our pieces are multifaceted in their style, but what unites them is a transparency in what they are and how they are made. If I had to describe our design aesthetic it would be raw and direct.
What vision are you bringing to the APOC Store drops?
Our vision is one of honesty of our values and practices. Cruda is an independent, Latin-American, female-run brand. All our production happens in house and using reutilised materials. Our priority is to maintain a transparent and sustainable means of production creating pieces that we ourselves and our customers can feel proud of.
Do you have a favourite piece of yours from the most recent drop?
The Samuel Bags have been a recent release for us. They are made from reutilised vehicle tires. The introduction of the bags has been exciting because aside from being a customer favourite they embody the Cruda spirit of creating something new utilising the waste of mass production.
The platform is all about repurposing and upcycling, how did this impact your design process, if at all?
We are very grateful for the opportunities that APOC has created for brands like us. As a brand founded on the practice of repurposing and upcycling, the current culture of consumption makes it hard for independent brands to maintain sustainable practices. APOC facilitates exposure and sales for slow fashion brands. This enables us to stay true to our design process and creates space for creating new cultures of fashion consumption.
Lou de Bètoly
Seen on celebrities like Dua Lipa, Rosalía, and Beyoncé, Lou De Bètoly‘s work is defined by an aristocratic, punk sensibility that fuses chaos, surrealism, nostalgia and extravagance in meticulously-crafted crochet pieces. Based in Berlin and heralding from France, de Bètoly works exclusively with vintage and deadstock fabrics to create garments that transgress the boundaries of craft and fashion. JB
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
In a few words, I would say: Intricate, extravagant, fun, dual. I’m working with a lot of handcraft, and different technics like crochet, knitting, Embroidery, draping. I love to work on blending textures. I like the idea of twisting things, and the poetic aspect of the absurd.
What vision are you bringing to the APOC Store drops?
A mix of fun and glam.
Do you have a favourite piece of yours from the most recent drop?
The see through choker.
The platform is all about repurposing and upcycling, how did this impact your design process, if at all?
I’m working with vintage material and dead stock, so it’s a great match with the platform!
Photography courtesy of APOC Store.
