Spazio Meta, La Réserve des Arts, Materials for the Arts. The repurposing and reuse of objects and props used by fashion brands in the circularization process of the industry
What happens to setting materials after fashion shows?
Each show sees the tailor-made creation of settings in line with what is the collection presented. Beyond brand identity, the communication of fashion houses also focuses on the rendering of presentations. Some fashion shows are true works of art, such as Bottega Veneta’s with Gaetano Pesce. Or the star-shaped amphitheater designed by Pietro Ruffo for the Dior haute couture fall-winter 2017-2018 fashion show held at the Hôtel National des Invalides in Paris.
All of these creations employed in the construction of the sets were in the past likely discarded materials. In recent years, companies that have decided to put a serious effort into sustainable production have attempted to find solutions. Spaces and associations that already existed or were born with this purpose are concerned with the preservation, reuse and especially eventual suitable disposal of these materials.
From Anteprima to Valentino: fashion brands approach to set ups disposal
Different brands have embraced the possibility of reducing their environmental impact, starting right from the set design of their fashion shows. In September 2022 for example, Anteprima presented a collection for the 30th anniversary of the brand’s founding.
On this occasion, Izumi Ogino, creative director, had chosen a streamlined set-up with a carpet representing the runway and some designer paper seating. Following the runway show, guests were encouraged to take away the chairs, conveniently askable, to avoid waste and give the furniture items a second life.
Other fashion houses, such as Valentino, have for the past few seasons partnered with organizations dedicated precisely to the business of salvaging and reusing materials. For the Valentino Un Château – Haute Couture fashion show in July 2023, Valentino renewed its partnership with La Réserve des Arts.
The seats were recovered from previous events held by the brand with a view to reuse. The rest of the materials, however, have been reconditioned and will be put back into circulation by the organization itself. Benefiting from those will mainly be creatives and students active in the parisian area.
Bottega Veneta case: when the set design becomes a piece of art
It happens that brands themselves take care of the post-show disposal of the set up, in an alternative way. An emblematic case is that of Bottega Veneta in which the set up represented the display of real works of design.
Gaetano Pesce, in fact, designed 400 chairs for the occasion of the fashion show, interfacing with Matthieu Blazy, the brand’s creative director. The series of chairs was produced in resin; all the pieces are different and irregular, not reproducible. Following the fashion show, the brand itself offered these chairs for sale on its website, which reached up to ten thousand euros for their uniqueness.
The online description reads «each chair is the same in material, but unique in color and shape, to celebrate diversity and its nuances». The Come stai? (How are you?) chairs represented an opportunity to reuse a fashion show set without rethinking the materials and without any repurposing.
Spazio Meta: the Italian based solution
Spazio Meta was born from a trio Martina Bragadin, Benedetta Pomini and Margherita Crespi. But above all, it was created from a series of experiences in different fields from curating to set design to museum exhibitions.
The continuous accumulation of waste generated by the different productions that each project required led the three founders to conceive this shared space. The goal was to avoid the disposable use or materials used or the filling of warehouses with objects that would not actually be reused.
Decreasing waste through the reality of Spazio Meta is done by starting precisely from the recovery of scenic materials of all kinds. Based in Milan, a city that sees a continuous succession of production and events, this one has no difficulty in finding pieces to put back on the market.
In 2022, Meta collected about thirty-one thousand kilograms of materials, putting fifteen thousand kilograms, nearly fifty percent, back into the market. Previous data from 2021 show an increased interest in this area, both in the amount of materials collected and the percentage of reuse.
Spazio Meta – the difficulty in the logistics of disposing of fashion show set ups
The materials used in productions are often professional and of high quality; so reusing them can represent a benefit for creators. The complexities raised by the founders of Spazio Meta are purely related to logistics. From transportation to storage to then allow reuse that also becomes profitable for those who promote it, such as their project.
Among the entities that collaborate with Spazio Meta are not only brands such as Prada and Gucci, but also museums and art galleries. From the data reported in the How to Spend It interview, in 2022 the project recovered nearly thirty-two tons of materials-half found a new use.
The materials that follow in the warehouse are always varied and among the most diverse. Some mentioned by the founders are tons of sand for example or carpeting. This space is proving successful, even allowing the founders to bill against this service offered.
«Acceding to the most valuable calls for proposals has been almost impossible, because there is often an expectation that there is a technology around which the business is developed: we instead were proposing a project that is innovative, but that is 100 percent human», the founders explain in the cited interview.
La Réserve Des Arts in Paris: the foundation
La Réserve Des Arts was also born from a meeting between Sylvie Betard and Jeanne Granger. Their interest in the arts merged in this project with their interest in fostering the environment and ecology. In 2008 the two founders met in the context of another work, that for Projet K, at the Espace Krajcberg of the Musée Montparnasse.
This was the starting point of their project to raise awareness about the relationship between contemporary art and ecology. In an ongoing exchange between artists and environmental specialists, both decided to continue in their efforts. This gave birth to La Réserve Des Arts, a project that would allow these two actors to continue to meet.
La Réserve des arts’ recovery of sets, props and products
Another focus of their work is waste, a heavy encumbrance for many companies. On the other hand, the founders noticed that creative professionals constantly needed recycled materials. This was to produce their works and projects in a more economically sustainable way as well.
«The Réserve Des Arts seeks to satisfy the material needs of artistic creation; to be a place of inspiration for professionals and a community for the exchange of competences», says Sylvie Betard. Data collected in 2021 report about 722 tons collected, ninety percent of which was reused involving sixty professions.
La Réserve Des Arts: the creative recovery of fashion shows set ups
The collaboration with Valentino, which has already occurred for Valentino Le Club Haute Couture and Valentino Black Tie, is one of many that La Réserve des Arts, a French nonprofit, has active. From 2018 to date, the project has involved a community of about ten thousand members.
Creatives who are members benefit from reclaimed sets, props, and products to which they can give a new life. Following the brand’s previous shows, materials donated to the charity found buyers after only a month. La Réserve des Arts supports the creative sector, promoting the development of the non-profit circular economy.
The project is involved in the collection and recovery of materials provided to it. By then reviewing them, the entity is able to put them back into circulation by managing a stream of items from various creative activities in the cultural sector. Four pillars underlie their work: collect, recycle, redistribute, educate.
They start by raising awareness and pooling reusable waste from companies and cultural institutions. Afterwards, the materials are sorted and catalogued to be presented and sold through the stores of the associations they support. Training focuses on waste prevention and sharing responsible production techniques, they explain on the website.
Materials for the Arts: New York City’s creative reuse center
Materials for the Arts was founded in New York City offering itself as a creative reuse center. Compared to others, it makes materials considered waste available free of charge. Public schools as well as nonprofit organizations in the city benefit from this service.
The goal behind it is always to prevent valuable items from being thrown into landfills. The project benefits arts professionals, educators and students. Much of the work for MFTA is done by volunteers who keep the warehouse organized. From individuals interested in contributing to this project to corporate groups, students and other nonprofit organizations.
Thus the 35,000-square-foot space is put in order to benefit other projects. In fact, workshops on reuse are organized alongside the collection. In addition, some art residencies are offered for those who do art themselves by employing pre-existing objects.
Spazio Meta, Milan
Spazio Meta is a space dedicated to the recovery and reuse of materials and sets from ephemeral installations. Serving artists and designers, Spazio Meta promotes waste reduction and shifts attention to the potential of existing resources.
La Réserve Des Arts, Paris
La Réserve Des Arts’ mission is to support professionals in the cultural, creative and craft sectors in adopting circular economy practices and reusing materials.
Materials for the Arts, New York City
Materials for the Arts is New York City’s largest creative reuse center dedicated to supporting arts and cultural organizations. A program of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with support from the Department of Education and Friends of Materials for the Arts, in 2018, MFTA collected 1.7 million pounds of reusable materials from businesses and individuals across the five boroughs. These items were made available, free of charge, to nonprofits with arts programming as well as New York City public schools and City agencies.
