Snaky letters

March 2, 2022

One student makes the old new again by recycling fashion materials into his own designs.

Andre Edwards, a sophomore apparel major, started his brand, “Andre Archive,” in December. Edwards recycles fabrics from thrift stores and incorporates them into his designs. He said he loves expressing himself through fashion and style.

“I love telling a story with my outfits,” Edwards said.

Edwards utilizes and reworks different used fabrics through his brand.

“I would describe it as me taking things that are already in thrift stores or already a thing and making it art,” Edwards said. “I try to avoid buying new fabric.”

Edwards makes use of threads like blankets or curtains and repurposes them into items of clothing or accessories.

“Obviously, not every piece of fabric can be used, but with something like the curtain, I have some leftover,” Edwards said. “So it’s like, okay, I’m gonna make a bucket hat. Because then I can use it like that and decrease the amount of fabric that’s being tossed.”

Edwards’ mom taught him to sew in November 2020 before he officially started participating in apparel-oriented courses.

He’s since incorporated different sewing techniques taught in his classes to improve his original designs.

“I definitely learned a lot of different things in class that I translated to the brand and am still translating to the brand,” Edwards said.

However, shortly after he started drafting designs, he got COVID-19.

“When I found out I had COVID, and it was around Christmas, I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ But then I thought, ‘Wait, let me turn this around. Let me be the one on top here,’” Edwards said.

Edwards had just begun drafting shorts for his brand when he got COVID-19 and focused completely on the line during his quarantine. He used the time to come up with his business model. He created his first line of shorts during this time and completed 14 pairs by his first drop.

“I was able to grind, do all of this, focus, figure out the sizing, and then finally, I was able to do advertising and marketing, which was really fun,” Edwards said.

Production for the first line of shorts was completed by December and officially launched in the new year.

Despite the negative circumstances, Edwards was grateful for the progress he made during quarantine and attributes his first drop to the productivity that took place during that time.

“It was a nice restart,” Edwards said. “It happened for a reason, and I’m grate-

ful.”

Edwards’ productivity paired well with inspired advertising for a successful first drop. His first pair of shorts sold almost immediately after posting.

“I think it sold literally within the first ten minutes, and I was advertising and marketing like hell leading up to it,” Edwards said. “Because it was the very first thing, I wanted to leave a lasting first impression.”

Lil Nas X’s marketing for his debut album, “Montero,” influenced Edwards when dropping his own line.

“I love the marketing I did for the brand. I took inspiration from Lil Nas X, how he marketed his album with the pregnancy thing, and then from different people or brands that I’ve seen over time,” Edwards said. Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

STUDENT RECYCLES FABRIC INTO NEW CLOTHING DESIGNS

Brionna Dollara | Reporter

(Top) Andre Edwards works on a piece Feb. 24, 2022. Not only does Edwards offer custom commissions along with selling his stock, but he also offers alteration services. (Bottom) Edwards works on his projects Feb. 9, 2022, in the Apparel and Design Studio, a space for majors located in the basement of the Reich College of Education.

Evan Bates