In 2017, IFA Paris, in collaboration with Good Chance Theatre and Emmaus Solidarity, launched an initiative to give aspiring designers from all backgrounds the opportunity to express their creativity through fashion in Paris. The initiative began with a week-long workshop held at La Bulle and on the IFA Paris campus where participants from around the world and IFA Paris fashion students collaborated to upcycle used clothing that had been donated to Emmaüs Solidarité.
Due to the success of the first edition, IFA Paris has included this initiative in its Master of Arts Contemporary Fashion Design curriculum.
The year 2021 marked the third edition of the Unthreadings project. As the fashion landscape was constantly changing due to the global Covid-19 crisis, the need to structure projects that promote inclusion and diversity became even more important.
Fashion is a language and, as such, must translate and interact with societal contexts.
This year, The Unthreadings project returns for a 5th edition and wishes to highlight the plurality of different cultures, creative perspectives and ideologies as necessary to transform fashion collections into works of art.
Participants will work in teams composed of 3 MA Contemporary Fashion Design students from IFA Paris fashion school and 1 or 2 participants selected by Good Chance. Ideally, a total of 6 groups will participate.
The expected results are as follows:
- 10 looks created in the first part of the project and corresponding to an experimental upcycling collection.
- 2-3 looks created with the typology of a disabled customer in mind with a commercial perspective.
From January 11th to March 29th, participants will start the first part of the project and let their imagination run wild to design their capsule collection of 10 looks around a reflection on migration.
This collection will be based on the use of upcycling fashion techniques from second-hand clothes provided by Emmaus. In parallel to this collection, they will also start the second part of the project and will have to create 2 to 3 looks to be worn by a disabled client.
At the end of this project, a jury will select the winning looks.
The participants selected by Good Chance will receive a scholarship to attend the Short Course Fashion Studio in July 2023 at IFA Paris, on our Paris campus.
Samantha Bellock’s jury members will choose 2-3 looks created for clients with disabilities, which will be presented at London Fashion Week in October 2023.
The Unthreadings is not only about creativity, it is also an opportunity to give refugees and migrants the chance to improve their skills and competencies to obtain work opportunities in the French fashion industry and better integrate.