Second-hand clothes, commonly known as Mitumba, were modeled during the 2023 Paris Fashion Week after a global textile company using technology transformed them into designer attires.
The designs were a creation made through a partnership between Epson, a global print technology company, and Japanese fashion designer Yuima Nakazato.
A statement by Epson’s Regional Head for East and West Africa, Mukesh Bector, stated that the production of sustainable textile creations was made possible by digital textile printing technology.
“The latest Yuima Nakazato fashion line was derived from used garments sourced from discarded garments in Kenya,” Bector stated.
During his trip to Kenya, Nakazato collected 150 kilograms of waste garments and partnered with the printing company to process the garments and transform them into luxury fashion garments in preparation for the Paris Fashion Week which took place from Tuesday, January 17, to Sunday, January 22.
The Epson boss added that technology had transformed the fashion industry aiding in personalisation and automation of fashion trends.
Moreover, the boss noted that fashion experts were able to give customers tailored advice on everything from clothing to accessories.
“The global fashion industry has seen an enormous transformation due to technology in recent years.
"With the aid of algorithms, personalization, and automation that have been greatly accelerated, it is now possible to make more precise predictions about fashion trends,” Bector explained.
Bector noted a huge gap in the textile industry in Kenya that could be utilised for both economic and personal growth by creatives in the fashion industry.
“There are many ways technology is transforming the fashion industry in Kenya. Epson’s dry fibre technology was already in use commercially for recycling office paper,” the Epson boss elaborated.
The innovation allowed designers to produce more environmentally friendly pieces without compromising on quality or a designer’s creativity.
