This year, we launch NEW MODELS, a series of portraits and interviews of people and initiatives shaping tomorrow’s world. Fashion, food or design… how can we produce differently? Who is shaking things up and why?
In this first article, we head to Morocco, where the brand’s old fabrics are transformed into traditional Berber rugs at the heart of the Central Atlas Mountains.
“Nothing is lost. Nothing is created. Everything is transformed.” With this quote by Antoine Lavoisier in mind, American Vintage decided to undertake a new project several months ago. The concept: give a second life to leftover fabrics from previous collections by transforming them into Boucherouite rugs. Sylvie Lespagnol, who spent a great deal of time developing this initiative, walks us through the process, which makes it possible to reuse a maximum amount of material (it takes about 20 dresses to make one rug).
“It all started by sorting through the material. We got all the American Vintage fabrics that could not be used any more, because they were too old or varied, and separated them into groups of colours. Then, each pile was divided so that there was enough material to make a rug,” explains Sylvie Lespagnol. The boxes were then sent to the Fez region in Morocco, where a cooperative of women weavers took charge of them. These craftswomen are the artists behind these creations. “There are about 20 women. The teams rotate a lot, because they work at their own pace. The women live in the mountains and, for them, this is a wonderful way to give value to their existence, to create social bonds and to become more autonomous,” she points out, emphasising that they all insisted on signing their pieces.
Shop the upcycled Boucherouite rugs on American Vintage
Initially, Boucherouite rugs were made by Berber populations. These thick rugs kept their simple homes warm. “These rugs feature a knotting technique, not a woven technique like most rugs,” underlines Sylvie Lespagnol. The pieces of fabric are cut into strips and then tied one by one around cotton warp yarn. Then, everything is cut the same length. “Then, they start again, until obtaining the final result.”
An ethical approach in every sense of the term: “we are creating work and human interactions, but we’re also educating. We are showcasing an expertise, a craft trade. Most of all, we are transforming something that already exists”. This modern method of upycycling now represents one of the mainsprings of more eco-responsible fashion: “all brands have stock problems and we need to simultaneously work to avoid the conventional outlets of leftover fabric (insulation material, for example). It no longer makes sense to think about production without planning for what comes afterwards. Since we’re not on a conventional path, we can think about things differently,” she concludes.
These one-of-a-kind upcycled Boucherouite rugs from American Vintage will be exhibited in Paris from 26 to 29 March 2020.
AMV Journal is a space dedicated to encounters, discovery and travel. Every week, explore the musts, portraits and inspirations of American Vintage and its creation studio.
Photos: Julie Liger