Welcome to another episode of the Willoughby Hills podcast!
On today’s episode, I speak with Chilean fashion designer Francisca (Fran) Gajardo, the creative force behind Y.A.N.G. (You Are the Next Generation).
Fran first came onto my radar when I read an amazing piece in Grist about one of the world’s largest fashion landfills in the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile. Fran was quoted in the article saying:
“Even if we stopped clothing production throughout the world tonight, we still have more garments than we need or that the Earth can safely hold. It won’t go away nicely, and we’re not stopping today.”
After reading her story, I knew we needed to talk.
Fran grew up not far from the clothing dump and saw first hand the effects of fashion overconsumption in the Global North. She was inspired to become a fashion designer, but rather than use virgin fabrics for her designs, she deconstructs used clothing, repurposing old garments into new ones.
Her work has brought her to the U.S., the U.K., and Chile, where she has advocated for upcycling garments. She has also taught others how to find inspiration for new designs in existing clothing.
Her work also focuses on ways to build upcycling into the supply chains of major retailers, allowing them to reclaim old clothing with a clear path to reuse.
For more, follow Y.A.N.G. on Instagram.
If you enjoy this interview, you may also like my twice-weekly email newsletter about our changing relationship to home, work, building, shopping, eating, and more. Subscribe to have it delivered to your inbox, plus get notified when new podcast episodes are posted:
Related Episodes:
Listening Tip:
You can stream this episode on the go using the Substack app.
You can also click “Listen On” in the player at the top of this post to load this episode on your favorite podcast app, or search “Willoughby Hills” in your favorite podcast app too.
Share this post