For major fashion houses, sustainability is an easy accessory to retrofit a collection with, as an assertion of conformity to the moral zeitgeist. For Atlein, sustainability is not merely a statement, but also an identity. The French fashion house is wholly committed to experimentation that minimizes environmental impact while still exceeding standards of style. The Atlein Fall/Winter 2022 collection epitomizes those principles.

The collection was founded upon the idea of “studio archeology,” a resourceful approach centered around creating something new with what is already available. The house’s founder, Antonin Tron, took to upcycling fabrics, bleaching archived prints, and reworking garments from past seasons. A new generation of design emerged through unique processes to create vegan leathers and mineral stone effects. The earth-centered method proved not to be limiting, but rather resulted in a more personal collection with Tron turning to his own closet—chopping band tees from his youth obsessions for draped tops and dresses. The repurposed shirts from the designer’s personal wardrobe were perhaps the most predictable use of materials. Discarded coffee pods were crushed and reassembled. A resin often used in the creation of surfboards served as the base for handmade, one of a kind pieces of jewelry.

The distinctive lack of decadence for Atlier’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection proves that sustainability is not synonymous with simplicity, but can surpass its wasteful counterparts in lavishness and evolution in style.