Yana Istomina

"Creating new value from existing waste.Transforming negative perception of upcycled materials".

- HYBRID 2.6

The SOJU DREAM collection hastwo main product categories:

1. Products made using good quality surplus fabric from the garment manufacturing industry.

2. Products made using new but faulty garments that have failed quality control or unsold garment stock.

This graduate collection is a small scale test of the potential for future brand HYBRID 2.6, planned to operate in partnership with the established brands that have supported my current project and set to launch in the UK post pandemic restrictions.

The idea for the business is the foundation of the project and underpins the philosophy of the brand itself. I believe that my idea captures the potential benefits of creating value out of surplus materials or faulty garments by using waste as a solution for the creation of brand new products. Reusing pre-consumed fashion items and post-production surplus, feeds these materials back into the production chain under a new brand name thereby reducing waste. I choose to work within a specific product sector because of the enduring high quality of the produced which, when reused bring about long lasting, more sustainable products less likely to cause environmental harm. My aim is to create a mix of different branded items by deconstructing them, then combining the parts to create a new one-of-a-kind luxury ítem, a process, which I refer to as a hybridization. Creating an up-cycled hybrid fashion trend in this way will act as an intermediary aesthetic between opposing fashion visions allowing consumers to reconsider their values when it comes to wardrobe updating.

While this business model acts as a current and future brand philosophy, the collection presented here, introduces and celebrates Korean culture featuring my garments and accessory designs as performative, interactive and educational tools.

In this particular collection, my pieces are made to draw attention to Korean culture via Korean nations drink Soju and the unique drinking etiquette behind it. From the start, my main source of inspiration has been Korean hip-hop music, more specifically, a song named SOJU by Korean-American rapper Jay Park ft. 2 Chainz. 

As a result of my mixed background and constant moving from country to country, I feel I have lost my cultural identity and as a result have struggled to fully identify myself with any culture or social group. I shifted towards Korean culture organically, feeling comfort and a sense of belonging, despite not having Korean background or upbringing. This is my perspective on a particular aspect of Korean culture as an outsider and is shown here in the spirit of my wish to contribute creatively to a respectful and shared world.