Today's fashionistas are used to seeing classic trends making comebacks on the catwalks of London and Paris, from bell-bottoms to animal prints to the mini. But in-the-not-too-far future, this year’s “newest look” may actually be last year’s style-setter, deconstructed and re-tailored using the same or repurposed fabric.
“Upcycling”—transforming used clothes, accessories, and textile waste into new products—is growing in popularity as contemporary designers, like Monaco’s Inès Bensalah, see sustainable fashion as a new form of high-end luxury couture.
Recently selected by Forbes Monaco for its annual “30 Under 30” edition, Inès has created unique bespoke garments for Olympic athletes, race car drivers, beauty queens, and football legends. A few years ago, Inès was a student at the University of Monaco, handing out VIP goodie bags at the Amber Lounge Fashion Show, the hottest ticket in