BRAND STORIES

A talk about ethical fashion & Designers Remix with Charlotte Eskildsen

The beginning

Today Designers Remix is one of the most well-known Danish brands, but do you know how it all started?

Designers Remix was founded in Copenhagen in 2002 by Charlotte Eskildsen as a part of the former IC Companys. The first collections to come out of Designers Remix were made of leftover stock from other brands also owned by IC Group.

"We started up-cycling 20 years ago! At that time sustainability was not a common subject”, says Charlotte Eskildsen.

But ethical fashion is not only something Eskildsen prides herself on in her work – she also enjoys vintage shopping for herself. When secondhand shopping Eskildsen looks for specific designers and eras of fashion – but the most important thing, for her, is that the quality is verified and approved. “It just makes your heart beat a little bit faster!”, says Eskildsen when speaking about vintage shopping. She also points out the “the rush that comes with finding that perfect addition to you collection”, which she describes as being “unbeatable”.

Charlotte Eskildsen, Creative director and head of design of Designers Remix

“We want to make fashion better – it’s our mission!”

Eskildsens love for all things vintage as well as Designers Remix’s humble beginnings working with deadstock is still present in the ethos of Designers Remix today. The brand’s ethos is based on making full use of already existing resources by redesigning, remixing and up-cycling deadstock fabrics and garments right from the beginning.

Designers Remix seek to make a positive impact on the world of fashion and is therefor committed to the UN Climate Neutral Now pledge. The brand provides carbon compensations for every garment produced as well as ensure full transparency of every garment. Designers Remix “want[s] to make fashion better” and sees it as part of their mission.

Designers Remix pre spring 22 collection styled with The Vintage Bar secondhand items

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Designers Remix pre spring 22 collection styled with The Vintage Bar secondhand Dior Saddle bag

Re-made, a new concept

Making sure production is in order and on the way to being sustainable is not all Designers Remix and Eskildsen does however – say hi to Re-made. Designers Remix’s newly launched concept Re-made is centered around circularity. It’s a bespoke sub-line based upon the main lines core identity of using already existing ressources.

The pieces of the Re-made collection are redesigned and repaired secondhand or vintage garments as well as leftover items from deadstock, giving them a second life. This provides the designers with materials of all sorts – menswear blazers, worn-in navy uniforms, dainty lace trims and production scraps. Because of the nature of the materials all Re-made pieces are handmade in limited quantities in the Designers Remix design studio in Copenhagen. Furthermore, Designers Remix also has a take-back scheme in place to collect and recycle used garments.

Designers Remix pre spring 22 collection styled with The Vintage Bar secondhand items

For the love of all things vintage

When it comes to vintage items, Charlotte Eskildsen says, “I feel everything has a soul and a story to tell, to be remembered and reinvented.” This is why the collaboration between Designers Remix and The Vintage Bar is a shoo-in. The Vintage Bar and Designers Remix have a lot of common values – most importantly “we share the same passion for circularity and quality”, says Eskildsen.

Charlotte believes that vintage items encourages creativity, and that is the basis of the collaboration between Designers Remix and The Vintage Bar – creativity. “For me, vintage clothing offers a chance for explore personal style, and The Vintage Bar has so much to offer”.

Designers Remix pre spring 22 collection styled with The Vintage Bar secondhand Dior bag

Written by Alberte Gram
Alberte Gram is a fashion writer based in London.
The people pictured are not associated with The Archive
or The Vintage Bar, and do not endorse the products shown.