Totally Besotted

Ahead of the launch of their second collection, Recommence 2.0, the founders of Swiss label SOTTES talk to us about sustainability, upcycling, and the link between fashion and the climate crisis

- ABIGAIL LEONG

When Jeanne Guenat and Elliot Upton started SOTTES two years ago, protecting the planet and people was the first thing on their minds. Before sustainability became a buzzword, the duo were walking the walk with their unusual approach to design, wherein each garment and accessory is made using recycled materials.

Seasonless, gender-neutral, handmade, and waste-free, SOTTES is an expression of rebellion against mass production, cheap labour, and unrelenting quest for the new. Available at Surrender, the Recommence 2.0 collection represents a creative evolution from the first, while still upholding the core values of the brand’s DNA. We sit down with the designers to find out how they continue to forge their own path in fashion.

Tell us more about the inspiration behind, as well as the message of Recommence 2.0?

We did Recommence 1.0 as a kind of blank page for us to write on, so 2.0 is a continuation of the SOTTES story. With the four new additions to the collection, we added more colour, more embroidery, and more prints as a way to emphasise the mentality and childish aesthetic of SOTTES.

Both the Recommence and Recommence 2.0 collections have a heavy emphasis on white, what does the colour mean to you?