Sustainability is an ongoing topic in fashion. According to Deloitte, climate change and environmental issues were the top concern for Generation Z. While more and more measures are being proposed to counter fast fashion and sustainability in the industry, there is a collective of people looking to combat this through their own expression.
These are 1 of 1 artists. So what are 1 of 1 artists?
1 of 1 artists are designers that create pieces by hand in very limited pieces normally being 1. They also create custom pieces or “commissions” for customers. 1 of 1 designs can include airbrush pieces, hand painted pisces, upcycling & repurposing old pieces of clothing and more.
Looking over the space, 1 of 1 artists have brought forward some of the most innovative and captivating pieces in the underground. What I like about it is how accessible it is. Any kid from any country can have access to old clothes and various equipment. They can then learn from those around them, the internet or books. It relies on one's own imagination and expression leaving a deeper sense of originality and individualism in the space. Buying from underground brands is one way to stand out, but nothing will make you stand out more buying from 1 of 1 designers. I've seen designers from Bulgaria, Argentina, the Philippines and more countries show the world what they got. It just goes to show the impact and reach this sub culture of the underground is having.
The size of the space has led to archive pages being set up to showcase this talent. One of them being my good friend Marco from the 1 of 1. He's grown his page to an astonishing 100,000 followers, not to mention a lot of the other things he's done such as setting up a shop, helping set up a fashion show and myriad of other services and collaborations he's offered designers. I was able to sit down with him and talk about the space as I can generally consider him an expert in this space. Sit back and watch what he had to say.
That was pretty much for the call and what we discussed. Before we go over the key takeaways, I want to plug 1 of 1 designers I believe deserve some spotlight.
First we have...
Slx world is a brand founded by Susannah Wheatcroft during the pandemic. She merges the world of fine art and fashion together through a range of original prints and origami. She made her first dress when she was 13. She sees her brand as an extension of herself which makes sense as her interest heavily lies in colours, flowers, textile design and fine art. Her main inspirations that sparked the brand were from her seeing a garden of flowers as well as a trip to Italy.
This is a brand we've consistently included in our drops of the week. It seems like every time they drop, they secure their spot. Also referred to as Dasha, they really show the potential of embroidery having made some of the craziest pisces I've seen in the space.
Teddy is a young designer from London UK , that started around a year ago from the time of this video. He actually recently dropped his FW22 Collection. He sews and paints on his work and is also a digital artist having created a range of different pieces all showcased on his page.
Now this is one brand at the top of the food chain when it comes to this scene. His pieces are widely inspired by anime, Yugioh and Pokemon. Void has consistently created some of the most outlandish pieces to date and it seems there is no stopping him.
Is a brand out of Texas founded by Nathaniel A. His design process includes looking at colours, sketches, listening to music, nature & even books. Nathaniel experiments with recycled materials upcycling them into new and loud pieces.
Some other honourable mentions include
Utopia by Cho with his viral videos creating the craziest products.
Dekoi Studio, while he offers more products than just distressing, it seems he's mastered the art of distressing denim.
Ethereal Regalia who almost depicts the world with his hand painted pieces.
Handcukk also creates hand painted pieces or as he describes “wearable art” with denim pants seeming to be his favourite canvas to paint on.
Key takeaways
Marcos Definition
defines 1 of 1 as a Niche in fashion of people who create things Independently, it's a tight knit community of self taught upcyclers, painters and more who express themselves through fashion. They tend to have a more creative mind than a business mind, which is a common point brought up in the space.
It's still in its Early Stages
It's very dynamic in the sense it can go in a lot of different ways. There's still a lot of figuring out to do. Not many can make it their living which is one thing that is being worked out. From the get go, the core goal for 1 of 1 was posting designers for the sustainability aspect, now he believes the true way to combat it is through an anti consumerist society where consumers don't feel the need to constantly update their wardrobes.
The Purpose of 1 of 1
Marco feels his job is to set the standard for the industry and curate where it’s meant to go. He wants to set the bar with the help of other brands' work as to what should be considered of good quality and the only way to do that is being objective with it.
But Why is the Space so Big?
Well from a consumer's perspective, the personal connection they get with brand wonders is what they value. They get to speak to the owner and sometimes and even see them face to face . Being able to have direct conversations with designers to get exactly what they want to a T, means a lot to them. Personalisation is going to be a big aspect going forward in business overall. More and more consumers crave connection and forming relationships with brands and designers.
That's it for the article, I really hope you've learnt something.
Comment who your favourite designer was or even recommend some in the comments.
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