Every so often we are lucky enough to find a fashion Instagram account that shows us something completely new and inspiring. When scrolling through the Explore page a few weeks ago, two photos by Japanese designer Daisuke Takamatsu (@dimda_) were so out-of-the-box creative that we had to instantly like and follow. Daisuke takes ordinary household items like cotton face masks and net foam for fruits, and turns them into customised luxury accessories like Prada and Dior handbags, while upcycling vintage designer pieces in the process.
Daisuke is a surrealist fashion designer, like Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1920s, who uses the cut-up technique created by Dapper Dan in the 1980s. What Daisuke’s work adds to Dapper Dan’s approach to knock-off culture is a focus on sustainability. The designer’s surreal, customised luxury accessories include pieces like a Hermès Chinese takeaway box, a Louis Vuitton cupholder, a Fendi purse shaped like a toilet (similar to Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain” sculpture), and even a Dior chopstick holder.
Daisuke’s work is undeniably cool, and it’s just a sample of the handful of creatives on the ‘gram who are reworking upcycled and vintage pieces into uniquely collectable fashion and accessories. Cierra Boyd (@friskmegood), All Amin (@haramwithsugar) Graci Pepworth (@gracipeps), and Lois Saunders (@lois_saunders) are four genius designers who are creating similar work. Sustainable designers Cierra, All, and Graci create impressive, one-of-a-kind designs using upcycled trainers from Balenciaga, Nike, and New Balance, while Lois’s hotgirl pieces include barely-there co-ordinated sets and dresses made from repurposed Playboy and Hello Kitty fabrics.
