An investigation broadcast on Danish television channel TV2's "Operation X" program recently unveiled that, since 2013, fast fashion retailer H&M may have incinerated around 60 tons of its own new and unworn apparel at a waste disposal company in Denmark. Though apparently this is a recurrent practice at the Swedish retailer, H&M denied the accusation stating that the garments had been sent to incineration because of mold or because they did not comply with chemical restrictions. Yet if H&M does not know how to genuinely recycle things, it may turn to Belgium.
Last week Oxfam opened indeed a pop-up shop in Rue Antoine Dansaert 90 in Brussels, in a space where the former Marc Jacobs store was located.
Set to remain open until 16th November, the space is called "The Empty Shop": the store gets indeed filled little by little as donations come.
Being located on the designer road in Brussels, donations come predominantly from renowned Belgian designers and stylists and international brands as well. Obviously also individuals can donate high-quality second-hand clothing. In this way other designer stores get rid of older stock, while consumers can find new pieces on an everyday basis.
The set for this minimalist space, characterised by two shades – white and matte gold – hinting at luxury, was designed by Alain Gilles Studio and it occupies two floors. On the upper level of the pop-up shop a fashion show runway is positioned in the centre of the room and showcases many of the objects used daily by Oxfam when sorting and storing items, including racks and trolleys.
The ground floors features another symbolic installation: a receiving station welcomes donors encouraging them to leave their goods onto a retrieval desk, while the central element is a sort of funnel machine symbolising the collecting and sorting of garments.
The top of the funnel is covered with plants hinting at environmental issues and recycling, while at the same time reminding consumers that here they can find a rich and diverse harvest of "clothes and accessories".
The installation integrates a series of recycle storage racks in a circular-shaped configuration reminiscent of a factory. The store is actually based on a concept written in Italian on its walls – "La fabbrica del valore" – that is "The Factory of Value".
This is a pun on the well-known Milanese exhibition space "La fabbrica del vapore", but also reminds consumers about a very simple and key idea – creating value through the collecting and sorting of clothing, furniture and trinkets by Oxfam.
The location of the pop-up shop and the fact that the space was conceived by designer Alain Gilles is an attempt by the charity to offer a fresh look to visitors, but the store will hopefully be reused as an exhibition or commercial space inspired by the core values of this project.
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