With upcycling being the buzzword in fashion all of 2022, and a few mentions of ‘re-love’ (the trend of selling and buying pre-loved or pre-owned clothes) making an appearance towards the end of last year; 2023 takes the idea forward and how!
Saritoria, a brand that sells pre-loved clothes, is now partnering with Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif, who is the first among A-list celebrities in the country to open up their wardrobes for a ‘re-love’ sale—with proceeds from sale being donated to a cause. We catch up with Katrina Kaif and Pernia Qureshi, co-founder of Saritoria, to find out more about this unique collaboration.
What led to this collaboration?
Katrina Kaif: Saritoria has done a splendid job of collaborating with leading designers and recycling some of their most popular pieces. A lot of designer pieces are wasted after being showcased at fashion events. What Saritoria has done is get more use out of them and thus, reduce wastage. As for my decision to collaborate with Saritoria, it happened organically. One day, I was going through my closet and realised that some clothes haven’t been used by me in a while. I figured that I might as well find a platform to get them into the hands of people who can make better use of them.Pernia Qureshi: I think it started off with a brief conversation that Katrina and I had. I appreciate that Katrina is a sophisticated dresser. I feel that a lot of girls resonate with her style. I’ll share one anecdote about Katrina—she is one of the few actresses who prefer buying pieces rather than sourcing them from designers. She has a good sense of fashion and understands what suits her body. So, if she loves it, she’ll buy it, and is generous as well. She has worn these pieces and is happy to pass them on to other people and use that money for charity. I am happy to associate with somebody like her. She has set a solid precedent for others to join the pre-loved fashion revolution.
How positive are you about upcycling catching on?
Katrina: I was surprised to learn that fashion is the second- or third- most polluting industry in the world today, and a major contributor to the climate crisis. I also learned that 95% of the clothes that end up as waste can be recycled. The fashion industry is waking up to the need of the hour. Compared to the Western market, the South Asian market is relatively new to sustainable fashion, but we are adapting to it at a great pace. It won’t be long before we are on par with the rest of the world in terms of conscious consumerism.
Pernia: Pre-loved fashion is increasingly finding value in the hearts of consumers, particularly with millennial and Gen-Z shoppers who believe in making mindful investments in fashion. More is no longer more. It is wasteful and it has become increasingly crucial to savour, save, and celebrate what we already have. However, the transition to building a sustainable ecosystem cannot be achieved overnight. I believe India is ready for a revolution in the designer fashion retail space. Given that climate change is going to impact South Asia disproportionately, we need to take ownership as a community.
Katrina, what does fashion mean to you?
I have always been interested in fashion. Once I started working in movies, I got the opportunity to explore my love for it. Even though I’m in a space where there’s constant attention to the way I dress, it cannot be helped. But I wear what I like and what makes me feel comfortable.
Katrina, tell us about the cause you have chosen?
Aside from doing the environment a lot of good by investing in pre-loved fashion, my fans can shop from my closet to support educating the less privileged. The proceeds of the sale from my wardrobe will go towards Mountain View School in Madurai, which has been founded by and is run by my mother.