Japanese lifestyle brand Uniqlo, has revealed its collaboration with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and its Design and Tech Lab (DTech Lab) for an exclusive upcycling collection called Re.Live. This collection, comprising 11 pieces ranging from knitwear to outwear, shirts, jumpsuits, and accessories, originated from non-sellable and non-wearable Uniqlo products within the Re.Uniqlo program initiated in 2022. Scheduled for release today, 13th December, this collaboration will be accessible for purchase at Uniqlo’s global flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York, specifically at the Re.Uniqlo Studio.
A team of five students from FIT’s Class of 2024—three from Fashion Design and two from Advertising and Digital Design—joined forces to conceive, design, and execute the collection as well as its marketing campaign. Under the guidance of Professor Juliana Cho, Fashion Design students Bridgette Schaeffer, Sam Cho, and Nuo Cheng were allocated specific themes and descriptive characteristics aligning with their design philosophies, resulting in the creation of three distinct collections. Scouring through Uniqlo’s returned items, the trio carefully selected pieces like the Pocket Shirt, Slashed Woven Cargo Jacket, and Clashing Stripe Button Up, focusing on robust silhouettes and intricate details to infuse these garments with new purpose.
Schaeffer, one of the design students involved, emphasized the significant impact of globally recognized brands like Uniqlo in advocating for environmental consciousness. She praised Uniqlo’s commitment to sustainability through this collaboration with FIT, seeing it as a catalyst for other companies to follow suit and engage in sustainability dialogues within their spaces.
FIT’s DTech Lab, an arm of the Innovation Center, leads the fusion of design-forward thinking and emerging technologies, aiding students in revolutionising creative and retail sectors.
Michael Ferraro, executive director of FIT’s DTech Lab, highlighted the seamless synergy between Uniqlo and the lab, given the latter’s collaborative ethos and extensive track record in trans-disciplinary projects.
Despite initially launching as a limited-edition release, Uniqlo intends to integrate these designs into the ongoing range of upcycled offerings at Re.Uniqlo Studio, with plans for potential expansion based on the collection’s reception and impact post-launch.
