Seven out the 80 unique dresses at the Miu Miu boutique at The Dubai Mall. Photo: Courtesy of Miu Miu
Anyone who loves sourcing vintage clothing knows that wearing an item with history is a feeling unlike any other. Vintage finds are also the building blocks of a sustainable wardrobe, and when upcycled, can be pieces to treasure forever. Miuccia Prada is of the same mind, as she continues to champion sustainable fashion with the Upcycled by Miu Miu collection.
It is made up of 80 one-off vintage dresses that are reworked while still keeping the “memory” of the originals intact by preserving the fabric. The dresses are anonymous finds from the 30s and 80s, carefully sourced from vintage clothing stores and markets around the world. Every piece was then transformed as per the Miu Miu DNA, reflected in the use of the brand’s signature collar, bows, and embellishments. No two dresses are the same, and this is ensured by the painstaking hand-work on each of the pieces.
The collection is available across nine selected Miu Miu stores worldwide, however, seven out of the 80 dresses are being sold exclusively at the label’s boutique in Fashion Avenue, The Dubai Mall throughout February. If a shopper wishes to buy a dress outside of of the local selection, the boutique offers the option of placing a special order and then transferring the piece.
The designs were unveiled towards the end of 2020, following the sustainability initiatives of a number of designers and labels including Maison Margiela’s upcycled ‘Recicla’ pieces, Gabriela Hearst’s appointment as Chloé’s creative director, and Coach’s reworked 70s bags to name a few. The collection is also one of Mrs Prada’s steps in maintaining a circular fashion system, with the designer launching the Prada Re-Nylon collection in 2019, which used econyl — a regenerated-nylon yarn crafted from reclaimed ocean plastics, and fishing nets.
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