Togo is causing a revolution in the fashion industry across the world in the way they have been dealing with discarded clothing items sent to them from Europe.
BBC reports that the discarded items are dusted off, given little or no touch and sent back to Europe where they are bought at greater prices.
Aman Ayviv is the man at the center of this brilliant move that is rewriting history in Africa fashion. He said that most of the cast-offs like coats and furs, sent to Africa are not needed.
“They’re sending them to Africa and most of it we don’t need here – like coats and furs. I select it with my guys, send it back to Europe and we sell it,” he said.
He said that though the sent items are mostly from left stocks in charity shops from there which goes for less than $1, when repackaged could cost as high as $220.
Though Myviv has been living in France since the age of 12 when he left Togo, he always comes back to his home country to ship the clothes to Paris.
He said among the pile, one comes across treasures that are sometimes customised to give them a different look before they are sold in Paris.
The designer said he works on the clothes to give them a new appeal, making old clothes more unique in their own ways. “We try with style not to educate, but to show people what you can do with what you have. Give it to me and I’ll show you how to wear it without buying another one,” he said.
