By Sofia Cirni - Translated by Leidy Rachen
A few years ago, with my group of friends, we got together to catch up, have dinner, and exchange clothes. In an era of fleeting links and decelerated consumption, we find the way in which we find ourselves – not without a thousand twists and turns of day and date - to review moments in which we wear those garments that we let go, we remember how our bodies changed over time in those sizes that no longer go, or we laugh at anecdotes that keep some stain.
A circular fashion response to declining economies or consciousness of consumption that emerges consciously and sustainably over time. Beyond the positive impact of this exchange, repair or reuse club – and some wine, yes, all accompanied by wine - an emotional component emerges: the connection generated by sharing garments.
Our garment exchange dinners not only deal with sustainability, and the possibility of extending the useful life, but it is presented as a loving act of resistance against the disposable consumption model. Each garment that passes from one hand to another decreases its cost per use and avoids becoming premature waste. Within this act, a human practice of giving access to what is valued, and reinforcing links through the act of sharing stands out.
Each exchanged garment not only changes owner - until it is decided to enter the bottom of garments - but also carries memories, experiences and emotions with it. The dress you wore on a special occasion, the jacket inherited from a friend in a time of need, or the blouse that reminds you of a trip. In each garment, my friends give me a part of their personal style and also, a fragment of their history.
In an environment where the new is valued over the durable, we tend to forget that clothing is also a container of memory. Some garments refer us to a specific time in our lives, a feeling, or a person. Circular fashion, far from being just a sustainable practice, reminds us of the emotional transcendence of objects and the importance of giving them a second life.
Practicing circular fashion through the exchange with friends, the purchase of second-hand, or the repair of inherited garments is an exercise in valuation and resignification. In a world where programmed obsolescence is the norm, betting on the durable and the shared is a way to challenge the system and find beauty in what already exists
In a world that pushes us to buy without brakes, choosing to recirculate is, in short, a declaration of love: for our friends, for the planet, and for the stories we wear.
Dedicated to my friends,
By Sofia Cirni
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