Sustainable fashion and luxury names meet at the crossroads of Vestido's business philosophy
The sustainability movement has taken great strides within the past few years, and for good reason. Much can be said about the effects that the fashion industry has wrought upon our environment, yet although people have taken action to lessen the impact of irresponsible manufacturing, it's difficult to foresee when such problems will not be a problem.
While luxury brands hardly fall under the category of "fast fashion" — which is often the culprit put on centre stage when speaking of irresponsible practices — impulsive purchasing behaviour can often result in clothes only being worn once — or never at all. For all the ways luxury is lauded for its quality, it's hardly the first thing that comes to mind when someone says "sustainable". Is luxury antithetical to sustainability? Vestido, a homegrown fashion rental service, doesn't think so.
The circular economy can, in simple terms, be defined as a system that allows products and services to be reused in biological or technical cycles. While its definition comes with nuances much deeper than can be explained in a single fashion article, its core definition matches the values that Maica Salud-Tady, Pam Quinones, and Cindy Bayot of Vestido hold so dear.
Vestido, who has recently joined forces with RSVP Closet, is a fashion rental service that offers fun designer pieces alongside elegant evening wear. Together, their closet is a mix of pre-loved consigned pieces, as well as brand new finds to get everyone excited.
"For RSVP, the idea of the rental model came about when we realised that all our friends were starting to get married. We had a lot of events ahead of us in the next few years," Maica Salud, of Vestido, explains. "It didn’t seem sustainable to keep having things made only to use once. Vestido also had similar beginnings, but with a stronger focus on fashion pieces. Coming together under one brand is not only a merging of like minds but also an opportunity for us to expand our offering!"
Both brands, Vestido explains, had similar eyes for "intentional closet building". This ensures zero fast fashion, and extends the lifespans of special pieces, giving them the opportunity to be worn more than once to a variety of social events that make these clothes shine. While Vestido has mostly been centred on stylish fashion edits, RSVP had grown a following for their extensive line of wedding guest and occasion wear. "Merging closets has given us a wider range and offering!" Vestido says.
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