The Tamesis
This season, Rentrayage takes a look at fashion on a smaller scale. The brand’s flagship store is in Kent, Connecticut, and while it wasn’t an explicit inspiration for the fall collection, designer Erin Beatty has crafted a more streamlined collection of upcycled clothing aimed at direct-to-consumer rural lifestyles rather than a massive wholesale business.
The designer just returned from a trip to India and Pakistan, where she visited her fabric sourcing and manufacturing factories. “Pakistan basically receives wine from all over the world,” Beatty said. There, she explained, materials are sorted by hand. For example, some were sent to be used as car wash rags, while others were reprocessed into the clothes Rentrayage makes today. She asked herself: “How do I turn this material into something that feels truly relatable?”
Nearly seven years into the brand’s existence, the focus remains on upcycled Japanese suiting, embroidered textiles and reimagined denim, which remains the foundation of every collection. A classic example is a pair of tube-leg jeans made from two different vintage jeans. Many of the garments followed a Frankenstein-like formula, including updated long-sleeves made from vintage T-shirts and an intarsia sweater top that connected to a crew-neck lower half.
Elsewhere, knitted cardigans are made from recycled yarn from Peru, and striped button-downs feature floral embroidery from India. Also made in India is a range of quilted pieces that are more sculptural than Falls’ other casual yet eclectic silhouettes. Regarding possible reactions to the series, Beatty said, “Fortunately, people will have strong opinions.”
