The “Future You, Future Fashion” project, a sustainable fashion initiative, has successfully transformed over three tonnes of donated clothes and household materials into high-fashion coats. The initiative was collectively launched by the Fashion Design students from the University of Southampton’s Winchester School of Art and the Salvation Army.
Unique garments were created from pre-loved items, such as curtains and blankets, and were later featured in high-profile photoshoots with celebrity photographers. Many of these pieces have already been sold in charity stores, raising over £5,000 for the Salvation Army.
Milly Toombes, a third-year fashion design student involved from the start, said: “It’s been an amazing experience. Usually, we submit our designs and that’s the end of it, but this time, we’ve raised money for charity, and someone out there is wearing our creations – it’s such a rewarding feeling.”
The challenge pushed students to reimagine used fabrics, often treating curtains as blank canvases. Milly added: “I had to forget it was a finished product and see it as just another piece of fabric. It’s probably my favourite garment yet because of that.”
Salvation Army Trading Company (SATCoL) is the largest charity-owned textile collector in the UK and operates around 8,000 clothing banks and 230 charity stores. By reusing and recycling textiles, they reduce waste and give these items a second chance.
Sophia Malig, Senior Teaching Fellow at Winchester School of Art, said: “This collaboration has been a fantastic opportunity for our students to push their creative boundaries by working with unconventional materials. The results are unique and impressive, and they’ve worked incredibly hard to make this project a success.”
A final pop-up shop will soon be announced, where the public can purchase the remaining upcycled pieces. (1)
