When major fashion houses embrace the eco-responsible trend

Fashion houses are increasingly committed to ethical and eco-responsible practices. This is the case for Chloé, whose material sourcing must meet a certain percentage of recycled materials, and whose suppliers are increasingly encouraged to comply with fair trade standards. This house also promotes the recycling of its products or, at the very least, second-hand resale through an authentication process.

In a less down-to-earth vein, we regularly see, in exhibitions at the V&A or in fashion schools, research conducted to propose new materials: We think of SALOA's algae sneakers, or of course, technical sports products made from recycled materials, offered by both ready-to-wear and haute couture when it comes to skiing dressed in Chanel (!). In terms of upcycling strictly speaking, Balenciaga's Autumn-Winter 2024-2025 show innovates and offers us the reuse of old items to create new ones —finally!— by layering t-shirts or lingerie from our closets to create an outfit…

These initiatives are commendable. They are increasingly prevalent in the world of sneakers, where soles can be made from recycled materials, or certain white models are simply ideal for painting and customization. The upcycling trend is still nascent for more traditional leather shoes. Major brands sometimes manage to utilize leather stock from previous seasons. Fortunately, there are artists who show us that anything is possible when it comes to footwear. We've included an illustration by Tega Akinola, who truly amazes us in the field of upcycled shoes. For our part, we meticulously source and refurbish them; it's our way of being eco-responsible and believing that fashion can endure, be worn, and re-worn. If pump designers have created such beautiful products, it's up to us to ensure they live on for a long time. There are a few on MyPrettyFrenchShoes; come and give them a new home.