Re Created: A Sustainable Fashion Statement by Kestutis Lekeckas

Revolutionizing Men's Fashion with Sustainable Suits Inspired by Lithuanian Heritage

Lekeckas' inspiration for the collection stemmed from Earth Overshoot Day, the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources exceeds what the Earth can regenerate in a year. In 2020, this fell on August 22. The collection is also influenced by Lithuanian national heritage, with silhouettes and details reminiscent of national costumes and material combinations akin to Lithuanian patchwork.

The collection's unique properties lie in its development of slow fashion ideas, creating a new aesthetic through waste and scrap from the sewing industry. The designs range from classic snug suits to oversized styles, symbolizing the versatility and multiplicity of a person. The location for the collection's presentation was chosen to allude to an apocalypse, which humanity can avoid only by fundamentally changing ourselves - a new rebirth.

Lekeckas' designs are realized using only natural and organic materials, primarily scraps of high-quality natural wool. The suits are designed for men, with sizes ranging from 48 to 56, and can be worn in a classic or oversized style. The collection was presented in January 2021 in Kaunas, at the fashion house leKeckas, and was featured in both Lithuanian and foreign media.

The designer's research for the collection was driven by the desire to influence the evolution of sustainable fashion. Given the large amounts of waste produced by the fashion industry, Lekeckas proposed the idea of creating original and unique products for a new aesthetic. The design aims to make consumers think, make responsible choices, and change their habits. The stylistics and patchwork methodology of Lithuanian national heritage were used in the creation of the collection.

One of the challenges faced in the creation of the collection was the combination of material fragments of different textures, colors, and sometimes qualities into one product. The design process was long and involved creating a design based on random combinations. The collection creates a new aesthetic through waste and scrap from the sewing industry, with each model being different and unique. The design reveals a variety of wear options, from a classic snug suit to oversized styles. Models created from pieces symbolize versatility and multiplicity of a person, inspiring users to rethink their values and recreate themselves.

The collection was awarded the Golden A' Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design Award in 2021, a prestigious accolade granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. These are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.