Miu Miu is breathing new life into old materials.
Earlier this week, the Prada Group-owned brand launched its fourth limited edition Miu Miu Upcycled collection.
The collection is part of Miu Miu’s upcycled project, which first came to light in 2020 with a selection of 80 one-off dresses made from non-designer vintage finds. In 2021, the brand followed it up with a collaboration with Levi’s built around pieces from the ‘80s and ‘90s. The initiative continued into 2022 with a capsule of 50 leather jackets.
Fast-forward to 2024, the brand is circling back to upcycling denim.
Its latest collection features dated pre-2000 denim chosen specifically for its color, weight and the qualities of fading. The denim is sourced from “denim specialists” across the globe, according to the Milan-based brand. Additionally, with an ultimate goal of “reusing as much fabric as possible,” outer seams were preserved before deconstruction and refashioning took place through a process done by hand.
Notable pieces in the collection include a vintage-style denim bralette, a dark wash vest and jacket and loose-fit denim shorts. The collection also features an array of flower-embroidered pieces, including a hair clip, headband, Trucker jackets, baseball cap and jeans. Each flower is hand-sewn using silk chiffon petals, faceted beads and black crystal set into antique metal, the brand noted.
For the first time, the Miu Miu Upcycled project features a line of patch leather handbags. The collection “repurposes materials from past styles that are carefully stitched together with…attention to the structure, texture and color to create something completely new,” the brand stated on its website. “Distinctive elements are the refined patches, hand-stitched logo and a deliberate vintage look.”
Advance technology also played a role in Miu Miu’s Upcycled collection. For the collection, Miu Miu partnered with Aura Blockchain Consortium, a luxury-focused blockchain non-profit association. By partnering with the consortium, the collective, co-founded by LVMH, Prada Group, Richemont’s Cartier and Diesel parent OTB Group, Miu Miu has ensured that each piece is afforded Aura Blockchain verification.
The fourth Miu Miu Upcycled and Patch Bag collections retails for $515-$10,600 and is available now in selected Miu Miu stores worldwide and on its website.