Printemps, the French department store, is upholding the sustainability banner with a sharp focus on up-cycling as they launched an event called “(Re)Créez, (Ré)Inventez” (“Re-create, Reinvent”). This is their latest retail initiative to garner consumer interest in environmental and ethical issues.
From April 4 to May 12, the customers can donate used garments to all Printemps stores for the aid of the French Red Cross. The collection will be distributed to people in need, or resold in Red Cross charity stores.
In the past, Printemps is known for introducing creative ways of disposing secondhand garments. They first welcomed secondhand clothing boutique Tilt Vintage, following which they collaborated with Maroussia Rebecq for creating a 20-piece capsule of upcycled clothing with local charity Tissons la Solidarité.
For the event’s duration, the windows of the Printemps Haussmann store in Paris will be taken over by five artists celebrating material reuse.
Each participant has based their chosen artwork on an upcycled item: Emilie Faïf and Serena Garcia Dalla Venezia used textiles; Cicia Hartmann chose plastic bottle tops; Veronika Richterova opted for plastic bottles, while Atelier Laps favored wood to create their large-scale sculptures.
This initiative comes right after the “Go for Good” campaign introduced by rival Galeries Lafayette with Stella McCartney last fall, which revolved around the sustainable bent of products scattered around the store.
