Levi’s Adds Furniture Design To Its Belt, Reworking Denim Into Familiar Chairs
Images via Levi’s
Levi’s is sitting on ways to counter textile waste, one scrap of denim at a time. This time, it’s partnered with creative agency The Visionary Lab to unveil Icons Re/Outfitted, a captivating project in which iconic designs of Vitra chairs—encompassing products from Eames, Panton, Nelson, and the like—are intertwined with discarded denim from the American clothing brand.
Several designers and artists were tasked with this challenge, reconstructing pre-owned furniture with repurposed Levi’s pieces through their unique lenses. Each piece is a testament to creativity and the spirit of conservation, inviting audiences to reflect on their consumption habits while celebrating the timeless charm of Levi’s.
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Among them is fashion designer and textile artist Sophie Cagniart’s ode to Levi’s 501 jeans, which mark their 150th anniversary this year. By applying traditional Japanese embroidery techniques, she revived Charles & Ray Eames’ Plywood Group LCW Chair in a way that merges heritage with modern sensibilities.
Fashion designer Tim Dekkers upcycled George Nelson’s Coconut Chair using felt made out of repurposed denim. Kelly Konings, a fashion and textile designer, reimagined a special Vitra chair—a composition of preloved Eames Lounge Chairs—by incorporating 2D weaving with a 3D effect to deliver a distressed look.
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Gathering deadstock yarns from Levi’s, she assembled an ombre construction that moves from blue to nearly white without the ened to bleach the material.
Meanwhile, an Eames Shell Chair found itself in a curious ecosystem, fused into an olive tree trunk by architect Norman Monsanto. Denim fungi crafted by Konings dots this organic spectacle.
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And from Lagos, sustainable fashion designer Nkwo Onwuka’s revival of the Amoebe Chair blends contemporary fashion with African tradition. Royally embellished with sisal fibers, raffia, and mirror accents, it resembles a throne.
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Icons Re/Outfitted presents a poignant message: “Waste isn’t waste until you waste it.” These furniture icons stitched with an everyday textile are a call to action, a plea for change, and a celebration of our planet.
The pieces stand as a reminder that in the hands of innovation, waste can be transformed into wonders.
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Buckle up, as the collection is being showcased at the Dutch Design Week until October 29.
[via Hypebeast, Scandinavian MIND, Dutch Design Week, images via various sources]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.
