E.L.V. Denim brings its upcycling journey to LFW

British luxury fashion brand E.L.V. Denim opened London Fashion Week to become the first fully upcycled brand on-schedule with an immersive presentation celebrating its sustainable innovative and high-end fashion.

Dubbed ‘The Journey,’ the presentation showcased curated vignettes documenting E.L.V. Denim’s process of turning discarded garments into new luxury pieces, celebrating seven years of sustainable innovation and highlighting the brand’s commitment to transparency, craftsmanship, and the transformation of post-consumer waste into high-end fashion.

E.L.V. Denim founder Anna Foster brought the brand’s whole East London production line, including the laundrette, to life on Regent Street, documenting the brand’s 5-mile radius of craftsmanship, as well as tracing its evolution from the brand’s first pair of jeans in 2018 to a full ready-to-wear collection, including shirting, tailoring, leather, and eveningwear.

There were six interactive stations, exploring the core elements of E.L.V. Denim’s production, from how it sources its denim from across the UK, to washing, grading, pairing, cutting and sewing. Alongside the journey the denim brand takes to produce its upcycled garments, the presentation also featured a ‘Techniques Area’ offering live demonstrations of heritage craftsmanship, including pleating by Ciment Pleating and crocheting by Kiori Studio, reinforcing the brand’s dedication to artistry and innovation.

Commenting about the brand’s debut, Foster, founder and creative director of E.L.V. Denim, said in a statement: “From the very beginning, our goal has been to set a new standard for sustainable fashion. This presentation was not just about showing our collection, it was about proving how transparency, craftsmanship, and upcycling can redefine luxury. We are thrilled to have shared this milestone with such an incredible audience.”

E.L.V. Denim highlights upcycled luxury at London Fashion Week

Against the backdrop of the informative stations, models showcased E.L.V. Denim’s signature upcycled denim, from patchwork jeans to graphic T-shirts, contrasting tailoring, leather patchwork jackets and skirts, and pleated denim designs. These sat alongside ‘show pieces,’ including patchwork flares and cape made from the offcuts of its upcycled jeans, a black puffball cocktail dress made from six pairs of velvet trousers, and a shirt dress and corset top made from utilising damaged striped shirts, cutting around problems areas to create an elevated look.

Foster added: “From the very beginning, we believed—and still believe—that we make the best jeans in the world. Our commitment to upcycling, local manufacturing, and true sustainability sets us apart. Some might call that a bold statement, but we have the processes to prove it. That’s why we’ve created a fully transparent presentation that shows exactly how we do it. We welcome questions and interaction - our team is here to share everything. Only by being completely open can we prove who we are, and what we’re striving to become.

“Today, E.L.V. Denim is the only brand in the world producing high-end garments at scale entirely from 100 percent upcycled post-consumer waste. We are not just making jeans; we are rewriting the rules of fashion.”

The presentation also highlighted a collaboration with 1 Hotel Mayfair, where E.L.V Denim designed and developed a white hand crochet dress from damaged bed linens from the hotel. The dress took the E.L.V Denim team more than a week, as 10 king-sized duvets were checked, deconstructed and crochet to make the piece.

Commenting on the collaboration, Francois‐Xavier Schoeffer, general manager at 1 Hotel Mayfair, added: “We're delighted to be collaborating with E.L.V Denim, and are thrilled to see our spent linens be given a second life at the centre of London Fashion Week.

“At 1 Hotels, we have long admired E.L.V Denim's impressive dedication to championing sustainability within the fashion industry and are excited to be continuing our collaboration with the brand this April in celebration of Earth Month.”