A Year in Clothes
Linger a Little Longer: Fashion, Reflection, Five Thoughtful Choices, and two Invitations for Berlin Fashion Week.
Hello, and a little late, happy new year! This month’s intro is by Dörte de Jesus.
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh
The quiet time between the years is always a precious moment for me. I love when the world becomes less productive and enters a calmer state of being. This year, I’m finding it particularly hard to move back out into the world; something seems to be calling me to linger a little longer and rest in the slowness of the dark winter days. I am aware that I am writing these lines very much from the place where I find myself – in the North of Europe, in Berlin. While we haven’t seen much of the sun in the last few months, life in many other parts of the world has been heated. I am thinking of the fires raging in LA, the burnt-down Kantamanto Market in Ghana, the tension of Trump returning to the White House, but also small glimmers of hope for a ceasefire in Israel/Palestine and a new dawn in Syria.
The times we find ourselves in are challenging for our tender human nervous systems, something we shouldn’t take lightly. Earth is going through profound changes, and we can follow these changes in real-time through the devices in our palms. These upheavals are stressful for our bodies and can cloud our minds. So I’d like to use this little moment in this fresh new year to send you some warmth and gratitude, and a reminder to be kind to yourself and stay present to all that is – including all the beauty and joy of our human existence.
Working on The Lissome keeps me grounded, and is a constant reminder of all that I find true and beautiful. Last year, I loved bringing to life several new projects with and for our The Lissome family, such as this monthly newsletter on Substack devoted to the beauty of slow fashion with Elizabeth Crawford Mclellan, the first season of our new podcast series Weaving Beings: Conversations with The Lissome with Hardeep Kaur that accompanies our Love Ethic print edition, and some IRL events in Berlin and London – a talk in collaboration with Centre for Sustainable Fashion, The Book of Kin showcase at Berlin Fashion Week, and a beautiful Sacred Stitching experience with Ania Zoltkowski. Make sure to have a look and listen!
But now I am handing over to Sandrine Demers, our head of marketing, whose ongoing, big-hearted support is making all the above possible. Inspired by the TIDBTW substack, she ran a full year experiment in conscious consumerism, that she is going to tell you about. And make sure to scroll all the way down, as we’ll be sharing some invites for the Berlin Fashion Week winter edition, where The Lissome will be present – it would be lovely to meet you there!
365 Days, 5 New Items
Can you only buy 5 new items of clothing a year? It turns out, yes, you can. And, of course, I documented all of it.
“If no other actions are implemented, such as repairing/mending, washing at lower temperatures, or buying second-hand, purchases of new garments should be limited to an average 5 items per year [with 85 items in total in your wardrobe] for achieving consumption levels in line with the 1.5-degree target.”
The idea is simple: is it possible to spend one full year and buy only 5 new fashion items? This includes everything from outerwear to jewelry, shoes, clothes, sportswear, etc. Core essentials such as underwear can be replaced on a 1:1 basis if they are unsalvageable, and everything else should be purchased second hand or saved from deadstock end-of-life.
The countdown
April: Merge Goods t-shirt
May: Kozha Numbers crossbody
June: Maguire flats
August: St. Agni purse
October: Alohas sneakers
As I’m writing this, it is December 31st and the year is officially over. I look over the year spent with my 5 new items, which I have worn countless times across all seasons, and I am delighted with my choices.
What did I learn?
All the pieces I purchased were love at first sight items; designs that spark a very specific feeling I cannot explain, but only rely on to know that I will fall in love over and over again every time I build an outfit with them.
When you buy only a very small amount of items, it is easier to be very selective with your standards and invest in quality goods from brands you want to support, because you are spending less money over time.
It is easier to build your ‘second-hand search muscle’ if you cannot buy any new clothes. It becomes the default when you are searching for items you need, and new purchases can be reserved for encounters with clothes that make your heart sparkle.
I am a lover of fashion, and will never be able to exclusively buy only second hand items. I fall in love with good design constantly, but it does not mean I need to buy it. Some things are meant to be appreciated and not owned - 5 items is a good number to indulge in mindfully.
I was able to define my style even better. My purchases taught me that I will always love and never get bored with minimal, timeless clothes, as long as I can add a fun accessory; a pair of mesh flats, a silver bag, a random arm cuff, etc. It is where my style identity shines through.
Would I do it again?
Yes. After this year, I do not see a need to stop this method, but only continue and perfect it. There is no better feeling than opening your closet and loving every single item you have, wearing them over and over, and feeling like every day is a good outfit day.
I can only recommend you try it for yourself.
Fashion musings
Amidst the rule of 5, I was able to define my own playground for (fashion) fun.
Here is to another year of falling in love with my clothes, cutting leather pants that are too long, tailoring oversized coats, wearing my tops backwards, piling on every single piece of jewelry I own every day, having only two belts, considering my one eyeshadow as an accessory—to always wearing the same clothes and yet never wearing the same outfit.
A year of being reminded that trends have never mattered, that designer logos are overrated, that you don’t need 10 pairs of jeans; that fashion is for play always and that dressing up is also for grown-ups.
Looking forward to the next 5 fashion matches for 2025 💘
Join us for Berlin Fashion Week!
If you happen to be in town for Berlin Fashion Week (31.1.–3.2.2025), we’ve got some invites and recommendations for you. You can find the official schedule here, and all Studio2Retail events that are open to the public here.
H6/ On the Cover of ...
02.02.2025, 2–8 PM, Studio Cherie, Hobrechtstraße 65, 12047 Berlin, open to the public
On the Cover of … is an interactive exhibition and performance by the fashion collective H6, in collaboration with The Lissome.
As the name suggests, we aim to “uncover the covered” by opening the doors of a photo studio to the public and showing how fashion imagery is being made there. We will shine a spotlight on the various specialists and skills involved at every stage of the process.
From 2 to 6 pm, we invite visitors to activate their senses by interacting with garments by the members of H6, as well as taking part in a series of craft exercises. In doing so, they will all add onto a collaboratively designed coat, positioned in a photo set at the center of the exhibition. Through every contribution, the coat will gradually evolve into its final form.
Starting at 6 pm, it will then come to life in a photoshoot performance, with models, music, make-up and drinks. It is all about finding the perfect cover, the cover created collectively.
More information and RSVP here.
We hope to see you there!
“B-Stories” Pop-Up Store by Natascha von Hirschhausen
01.02.2025, 2–8 pm, Friedrichstraße 67, 10117 Berlin, open to the public
Natascha von Hirschhausen celebrates forward-thinking concepts, creativity, and design. During Berlin Fashion Week, she invites you to visit her “B-Stories” pop-up store. The brands Société Angelique, PB0110, DAWN Denim, and Alina Schürfeld will share their stories and showcase a selection of their products in the Natascha von Hirschhausen store. Additionally, the latest issue of The Lissome Magazine can be explored. Changemakers and their stories together under one roof: The focus is on design, future-driven concepts, and the people behind them.
More information here.
We hope to see you there!
LoopUp PopUp Event - Fashion Upcycling
31.01.2025, 5–10 pm, Kleiderei Berlin, Oranienstrasse 44, 10969 Berlin, open to the public
With upcycling, you can create unique fashion—from the pieces already hanging in your wardrobe. But instead of tackling complicated DIY projects, why not try upcycling-on-demand? The digital platform LoopLook warmly invites you to celebrate the launch of its new LoopUp Collection. Discover prototypes that transform your unloved clothes into true creative highlights. Explore the collection in person and easily book your own upcycling transformation online. Created in collaboration with upcycling designer Dominique Krauch, the collection was brought to life by À la mode and Die Kleiderei in Berlin.
More information here.
 | A guest post by
|