UK-based romanian fashion designer alexandra sipa has found an original and unconventional way to reuse electrical wires — making garments out of them. everyday, we dismiss waste without thinking about it when in reality, most out it has lots of potential. in fact, waste is becoming a global and environmental problem and electronic waste is the fastest growing source of it, reaching 50 million tons worldwide in 2020.
images courtesy of alexandra sipa
after having her earphones broken several times in a couple of months, alexandra sipa — a student at london’s central saint martins — saw in electrical wires a sort of thread for her to manufacture clothes with. titled romanian camouflage, this is sipa’s graduate collection, a set of garments driven by the contrast between heighten austerity and extreme femininity found in her homeplace, romania. in fact, her grandmother was a great source of inspiration and the person who taught her to sew, crochet and even do lace.
romanian camouflage by alexandra sipa highlights the motivation to create innovative luxury textiles from waste while simultaneously engaging with both cultural and physical waste. when creating the garments, the designer cleverly hybridizes traditional romanian lace-making with common western techniques. from a lace dress, ruffle coat, to a vest and a bag, the main materials present is discarded electrical wires sourced from london’s recycling center in the great eastern waste. as for the blouses, they are made from discarded fabrics from factories in bacău, romania. tailored romanian charity shop beach towels coat and hat with lace inserts, embroidery, and oversized faux fur-trimmed jersey collars complete the collection.
project info:
name: romanian camouflage
designer: alexandra sipa
made with: discarded electrical wire
