If you thought that ‘90s nostalgia was on its last breath, Miu Miu’s 2024 Upcycled collection begs to differ.
Just in time for Lunar New Year in early February, Miu Miu has released its fourth, limited capsule collection of repurposed fabrics. This time, the world's hottest brand tackles discarded denim, reimagining leftover textiles into patchwork trucker jackets, bra-tops, jeans, and, for the first time in the Upcycled collection, bags.
Pretty good use for a textile that otherwise would've been trashed, no?
According to Miu Miu itself, this Upcycled collection sourced its fabrics "denim specialists all over the world" in a hunt for pre-2000s denim, each swatch selected for its unique color and the levels of fading.
The resulting clothes are a blend of DIY craft and Miu Miu's typical artisanal flair, informed by a proudly retro design aesthetic. Safe to say, anyone who liked the Miu Miu Levi's collaboration, will definitely dig the limited edition denim designed by Prada's little sibling.
Consider the series of baggy indigo denim jackets, one of which is embellished with handsewn silk chiffon flowers with black crystal beading and antique metal fittings. That motif is repeated on a headband that looks like something Donna Martin would have worn in the OG Beverly Hills, 90210.
The beaded flowers also adorn a fitted bra top and shorts that exude the same mid-90s vibes, thanks in part to the very specific faded blues of the denim patchwork.
The distressed seams on the garments are a visual callout to the upcycled nature of it all, perhaps best seen in the seemingly unfinished hem of a pair of wide-legged denim shorts.
Paired with a cropped, loose-fitting denim jacket with an angular black collar, Miu Miu’s POV is clearly that all old things shall be new again.
And, of course, denim never goes out of style, though it certainly depends on how you cut it. Having a little Miu Miu branding on there never hurts, either.
As mentioned earlier, the collection also includes bags made from leftover leather from previous Miu Miu garments in what the brand says in a statement is meant to be a nod to the idea of creating something “imbued with heritage.”
Miu Miu's first Upcycled collection was released in 2020 with each subsequent one intended to "uphold the precious nature” of vintage clothing, per the brand.
The 2024 denim collection not only achieves this but yields a collection equally at home in a 1997 issue of Seventeen mag and a TikTok video.
Point being, Miu Miu keeps turning potential fashion “garbage” into luscious new luxury. No complaints here.
