|
Meet Barbara León, the designer and artisan behind Re_
 Barbara León, the designer and artisan behind Re_  My career has allowed me to get to know the fashion industry from the inside, with endless positive and enriching experiences. However, at the same time, I was able to identify specific models of behaviour, production and relationship with the client that made me question my role within the industry and my own trajectory. That was when I slowly began a process of critical assessment, both personal and professional. I asked myself how I would like the textile industry to be and how I could work towards bringing those ideas to life. At the same time, I began to research concepts such as slow fashion, sustainability, circular economy, reuse, etc. During this period I also worked with workshops, designers, platforms, stores and so on. actors related to these concepts, who helped me share ideas, experiences, plans, goals, etc. I can honestly say that at the time I had a lot of great but volatile ideas and plans. After a period of some frustration, I decided to come down to earth and harmonize my passion for footwear, reusing versus recycling, responsible consumption through quality products and personalized customer service. After a lot of work, Re_ and its three pillars emerged: Re_diseñar, Re_construir and Re_utilizar.
 This whole process has taken over 2 years. I have been more actively working to turn those ideas that make up Re_ into reality since late 2019. So far, it has been a constantly evolving process in which I have not stopped learning and experiencing. Everything is now much more grounded on solid foundations, but I never want to lose the constant innovation and experimentation that I have experienced in these months.
|
We think every grain of sand counts. At Re_ we sell footwear redesigned and rebuilt from "potentially reusable" waste of used or discontinued textile products.
Designing will be used to integrate the recovered product into the world of fashion and clothing renewal, and technique to achieve a quality recovered product with a competitive market price.
Through my activity, I challenge you to rethink the meaning of consumption and the way we interact with the products we own.
Each pair of shoes we produce is unique and maintains the essence of all the reused components that make them up.
At Re_ we believe in building a community around a circular economy.
I have a degree in fashion and long experience in footwear manufacturing, design and styling. Her relationship with fashion began during her childhood in Andalusia, around a table where her grandmother and aunts taught her what she knows about fashion and craftsmanship while making or mending her first dresses or her favourite clothes. I consider myself a pioneer in the practice of shoe reconstruction and is at the forefront of the sustainable footwear movement.
I can tell you about the mistakes I have made in the creative and productive process until I got to the idea of Re_ as it is now. I'd say that there have been plenty of them, from uppers that were impossible to reconstruct, to pieces that after so much painting and sanding end up losing their essence. But honestly, I would like to keep making these kinds of mistakes, as I could say that it is thanks to them that I have learned the most.
Meeting María was a coincidence, our hearts beat for fashion, but also the environment. It's funny how it can sometimes seem like a contradiction. Maria is a woman with a strong character. That was my first impression and I liked her very much.
Canussa is a sustainable fashion brand that cares about people, materials, beautiful designs and the environment.