Prototypes is blazing their own trail through upcycled garments, and they aren't looking back. We got a chance to speak to them about the brand's future and peak behind the curtain to see exactly what happens in the idea machine located in Paris.
1. The latest collection (SERIES 07) has a unique, aphotic, & serious tone conveyed in the pieces. What is the absolute first thing you want people to feel when they wear Prototypes?
We want people to feel like they are wearing the clothes, not the other way around. In line with that, we are happy about any changes and alterations that are made: if something is too long, cut it. If something is not tight enough, use safety pins to reach the desired shape. We think these imperfections are beautiful and we want anyone who wears our clothes to feel the same.
2. We have seen many brands following in your footsteps and adopting designs with dark tones and black-dyed garments over the past few years. Do you believe that approach will continue in the future?
We don’t know. Trends in fashion come and go and when something is done a lot it’s always a good sign to move on to something else.
3. How did your journey with fashion begin and lead you to where you and the team are today? Where did the idea to start the brand come from?
We always liked creating our own clothes and we both studied fashion, in Berlin and London respectively. Eventually, we started working together at Vetements in Zurich, when Demna was still around. We shared a desk at Vetements for many years and at some point decided it was time to move on. Starting a brand is a challenging task, it’s expensive, labor intensive, and contains many aspects that go beyond the design process. It’s been a steep learning curve, but we are happy about the decision to do it Independently.
4. The “repurpose & upcycling focused” approach to creating garments is making the younger generation more interested in sustainability. Where did this sustainability heavy idea originate from in the brand ideology?
From previous experiences, we had issues with the way brands produce garments from new materials without really considering the ecological and ethical consequences. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries globally! We prefer an approach that’s regenerating pre-existing material such as deadstock, decommissioned uniforms and vintage garments. Basically, everything that’s available in abundance is interesting to us. Once sourced, we cut up and decode these items to repurpose them into wearable and “new” garments. Duchamp’s concept of the ready-made is important to us: to clearly point to a garments origin. We want people to make an emotional connection to the origins of a piece in the first five seconds they see it.
5. YE West has taken a notice to your work and even attended your Paris show. How does it feel to gain the attention of the industries major players with such a young brand?
It feels good and makes us believe that we are onto something. Ye is someone with a vision, who challenges you to take things further and think outside the box. We welcome the exchange and are happy to be able to discuss ideas with people who are operating at the highest level.
6. I was informed that you recently relocated to paris. How much does this impact the future of the brand being in one of the central hubs of the industry?
Paris is the capital of fashion for a reason. All the important brands and players are here and it was important for us to have a presence here, too. The brand is still partly based in Switzerland, but we are happy to have a base in Paris as well, as it’s making it easier to meet people, organize shows during fashion week and generally stay in contact with other creatives in the field.
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7. In 07, there are a lot of sport inspired themes. How important is athletics to you?
Callum played football all his life, Laura was involved with sports in one way or the other, too. It’s been a great source of inspiration for us. After Series06, which looked at football’s grass roots origins, we wanted to continue our exploration of the sport’s culture, its characteristic codes and actors. Series06 focused on the Sunday league and on figures like the referee, the groundskeeper, the youth, and others. This time around for Series07, we wanted to further highlight the tribalism embedded in football’s fan communities. The devotion that comes with the association to a firm is referenced in a shared aesthetic, less bothered with the individual than with a strength in numbers. In the collection, this approach manifests in various ways: masked faces indicate a wish for anonymity, football jerseys represent the commitment to shared values, ditto the motto: arte et labore. By skill and labour.
8. (And finally) What is the mark that prototypes is trying to leave on the industry as a whole?
It becomes obvious that many other brands are picking up on what we are doing, upcycling and repurposing is becoming more and more important in fashion. The European Parliament recently announced new rules to crack down on fast fashion and reduce waste, including a ban on destroying unsold clothes. Together, we can make a change and it’s only a matter of time before also bigger plays will be latching on. And we are already ahead of the curve, continuously prototyping a different and more sustainable industry.
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"It becomes obvious that many other brands are picking up on what we are doing, upcycling and repurposing is becoming more and more important in fashion."
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