The Art of Upcycling in Fashion: Interview with Rubi Pigeon

It all started with dress-up! I loved it when I was a kid, and I still remember the costumes my mom made for me – especially my Winx Club costume. I loved it so much that I wanted to wear it all the time. That was what got me started, as I see fashion kind of like dressing up. I later discovered great photographers like David LaChapelle, whose work I really admire.

It’s comfortable, joyful, creative, and constantly evolving. I don’t like to limit myself; I wear what inspires me in the present moment. I have fun, and that’s what matters most to me!

You have to be creative! I spend a lot of time bargain hunting. It’s a real passion, and it’s become my job! I often spend time on second-hand apps and social media accounts. For example, I get a lot of inspiration from what I share on my other account @dress4unot4them. And whenever I buy a piece, I’m already thinking about the different looks I’ll be able to create with it. I also really like renting clothes, I think it’s a great way to experiment.

It came very naturally, out of necessity. My sister Yasmin and I set up an online thrift shop on Depop, which is like Vinted but with more specific pieces. I took unsold items and reworked them using scissors and a sewing machine to change their style. It was so popular that we ended up selling exclusively upcycled models. Recycling is a solution to today’s problems. The fashion industry is very polluting, and I try to make things that can make a difference in the current context.

It’s an extension of our first project. Back then, we only sold products recycled from existing garments, but now we can also produce several series of products from roll ends and fabric scraps. With Rusmin, we are able to combine the two. Our sole objective is to offer pieces made from materials that already exist. They all have a history, nothing is new. We also put on workshops to teach people how to consume in a more eco-friendly way and to improve the image of second-hand goods.

It’s quite simple! The advantage of acetate is that it melts and can be reshaped however you want. In our case, we salvaged sheets of acetate from factories in the Jura region that hadn’t been used for 20 years. It was dormant stock! The only drawback is that we’re slightly limited in terms of colors and supply, but we’ve managed to develop some fantastic pieces.

I drew on the style of the 1990s and 2000s; my main reference was the movie American Psycho and its highly corporate, office-living aesthetic. Generally speaking, I wanted to use and mix everything I loved from those periods. The shape of the frame is very square, quite simple, but with a slight butterfly effect. The glasses are available in a range of colors. They embody everything I love. I’m so pleased with the result and I wear them all the time! That’s my only goal now – I only want to create products I can wear every day.

Up until now, we’ve been offering the pairs as sunglasses, but I found that didn’t really make sense anymore during the winter. With that in mind, we unveiled our signature pairs equipped with screen lenses, which are both anti-reflective and anti-blue-light. It’s perfect for people like me who spend a lot of time in front of a computer! The lenses are made in Italy by Divel. These are the only parts that are new, because we were looking for quality. All the models are available on our Rusmin Instagram page, on the Amaury Paris website, and in their store.