Benetton shoes, reinvented through upcycling

[On the cover and in the gallery, the projects selected at MICAM]

Recycling and upcycling are hot topics in fashion and are themes that are dear to many brands that are dealing with the present situation in a more conscious way. With this in mind Remix was born, the project by United Brands Company (UBC), licensee of the Benetton brand, and the Politecnico Calzaturiero (Polytechnic Shoe Industry) of Vigonza (PD), which allowed students to tackle the theme of recycling in a creative way, without constraints or limitations. For the occasion, in fact, UBC provided the students with samples of their spring/summer 2022 and autumn/winter 22/23 season collections; products and materials usually destined for waste, asking them to design and manufacture new footwear out of them. The students then tried their hand at making shoes, accessories such as laces, patches, labels, and Vibram branded bottoms to recreate anti-waste footwear. The most interesting projects were awarded at the last Micam (18^th/20^th September), but all showed great creativity and the students’ attention to an aesthetic that is increasingly combined with the ethics of the product.