Reinvented by Lara Jones by lara.jnz

REINVENTED

Larana Magazine

In this issue: Reworked clothing and its growth in our current sustainable market

NOVEMBER 2024 EDITION November 2024 covers a deep dive into our cover star. We see her inspiration, drive and work regarding sustainability and reuse.

TEGA AKINOLA

Includes an exclusive one to one interview between our cover star and the editor in chief.

WWW.LARANAMAGAZINE.COM

EDITORS NOTE NOVEMBER 2024

Below: Tega Akinola, November cover star of this issue

hen my boss set me out on a mission to find a new ‘’sustainability star’, I had know idea that I would be thrown into the world of Tega Akinola. It is fair to say that during my research I have become a little obsessed. Sustainability and reworking , that we cover in this issue, can be seen as one of the more boring aspects of fashion. To our readers who know and value this issue, we promise to try to entice you with a more spirited and hopeful conversation around the subject. I can personally tell you that it was a pleasure writing this issue and that the designer we focus on is a treat to read about!

ISSUE #10

Exclusive sustainability insights edition

LARANA.COM 28/11/24

EDITOR IN CHIEF - LARA JONES

Everything you need to know this month’s issue and the new twist on sustainability The main focus of this issue is obviously sustainability - a cause in the fashion industry that can only be descried as one of the most important aspects of fashion. The theme is especially relevant now as we cover a new trend of reworked clothing that has driven us to talk about one of sustainable fashions rising stars in the UK - Tega Akinola. Another story you may find in this issue is the impact of sports fashion, as this is a theme that comes through in the sustainable market due to many sports materials being discarded or overconsumed

Each article will connect back to how our cover star and brand owner has created a sustainable twist on the rework market and made it globally noticeable on social media. A large part of sustainability has been shared by the media, it helps us understand how workers rights have been affected by fast fashion and a lot helps us discover places to purchase unique pieces that give us a chance to shop sustainable After writing this issue I want to that all of the team that helped me understand the meaning of reworked fashion in sustainability, as well as Tega Akinola herself for allowing me to interview her and get a true meaning of her thoughts on sustainability

In this edition you will find: Page 4 - Tega Akinola article Page 5 Advertisement Page 6 - Tega Akinola article Page 7 - Tega x Nike Page 8 Advertisement Page 9 - interview Page 10 - interview Page 11 - interview Page 12 Advertisement Page 13 - Trend edit Page 14 - Editors picks

s e n o J llLM

rework revolution spotlight on Tega Akinola Meet Tega Akinola designer, entrepreneur and talented sustainable activist in the fashion Industry. But where and why did she start?

“I would describe my work in three words as playful, colourful and experimental”

In 2020, Tega was creating small trinkets and accessories with deadstock materials during her time at university. In 2020, she launched some of the products on social media not really knowing where to start. Undoubtedly, It was more difficult to gain attention to a small slow fashion Conscious consumerism has become brand with hand made clothing at first. a large part of generation Z and Zennials audiences. Brands like Tega When she launched Akinola's that rework clothing, look at her brand, her main conscious consumerism from a support systems were perspective of the differences between linear and circular fashion. APOC store, who helped her navigate Linear fashion is the cause of waste in how to work her site our society when clothing is simply to a larger scale, and discarded. Circular fashion is when materials are given an ew life and this her mother, a is what makes up much of the Tega seamstress who inspired her to create Akinola brand identity. clothing in more complex ways.

The concept of environmental sustainability is generally found in the culinary and lifestyle fields. Tega Akinola has helped bring this awareness into the fashion industry with her alternative to the linear fashion system. Her brand's identity circles around creating a new life for materials that would usually be discarded. Akinola's stylish and trendy styles make this easy for people to access. The company has a unique selling point of all items being hand made, this can create sentimental value that slightly links us to the designer. We don't get this kind of connection and transparency with a large, fast fashion brand like H&M, and this may be way we find everything so easy to overconsume. Transparency online is what made Tega Akinola's brand blow up in the first place, as she shared her design and hand manufacturing process and caught attention of A list brands and magazines. This prominence in the main stream fashion industry has helped slower fashion brands like Akinola’s infiltrate the norm of the industry.

Written by Lara Jones

rework revolution spotlight on Tega Akinola Akinola does not define her marketing as a strategy, she simply just posts on her high profile and verified social media accounts, to keep consumers interested. Her consumer base is made up of the younger generations, so this is how they prefer to be reached anyway. Another marketing ‘strategy’, that Tega Akinola almost gets for free, is the amount of press releases that cover her brand. This includes, Vogue, Elle and Calendar magazines. By maintaining strong innovative flair in her brand, Akinola creates the ‘hype’ around her market.

It is undoubtedly impressive how much Tega Akinola’s brand growth has progressed so much in just under 4 years. The sustainable fashion industry was in need of innovation and styles that can interest the young people of today. The circular fashion system has been transformed over the years by designers like Akinola who have popularised reworking in the younger generations. I feel it is important that we have covered Tega in this segment, as her brand deserves recognition for their efforts to give sustainable fashion this platform.

Written by Lara Jones

SPORTS AND FASHION MEET AGAIN

SEASON 24/25

“I really like sportswear and streetwear brands but I like to mix them with traditionally feminine styles and silhouettes. That’s my little niche right now.” - Tega Akinola

SPORTS AND FASHION Sports and streetwear have always Adidas and Gucci collaborated on the merged in certain ways. Athletes such runway in 2022, and it is fair to say as Serena Williams and Shacarri editors did not know what to think. Richardson pioneered fashionable However, it sis safe to say that it styles. Both sports stars brought worked. Although, this created a vibrant fashion and accessories to the stylish twist, It also created a slight track and tennis pitch. The fields they risk of mass consumerism in this area oif the industry. We have seen thsi were in were often not dominated by before with replicas of diffrent syles women, so it was really powerful to see in the higbe nd industry - this does bold nails, outfits and hairstyles in not help the sustaible markets cause. these areas.

TEGA X NIKE

In March 2024, our cover star and designer Tega Akinola collaborated with Nike on her first major collection. They created an assortment of bags, tracksuits and sets that reflect Tega Akinola's signature style. The sustainable twist on Nike was unexpected, especially from quite an unknown and independent designer. However, it is fair to say it has been a hit in the UK market. Some of the collection has even been featured on ASOS, making it more accessible for all demographics to explore the reworked market. Accessibility has not been a part of the brand at the beginning as Tega wanted to keep it quite low key, but the sportwear industry becoming so involved and popular has brought much media attention. The business of fashion has predicted that the sportswear industry will grow rapidly in 2025. To me, this shows that with Tega Akinola’s signature style, the only way is up for this designer.

www.larana.com

WE ARE TALA Activewear you can feel comfortable in Activewear you can feel comfortable purchasing

This weekend our editor in chief, Lara Jones, managed to land and interview with the designer herself. They talked origin, inspiration and collaborations.

Get exclusive with Tega

1. What first interested you in sustainable fashion?

I was really disappointed in the waste of materials overall, not just in fashion. I was really interested in transforming the old into the new and my main point of interest was from a design and innovation point of view.

Do you think growing up in a creative household affected your outlook? Although my mother was a seamstress, our creative outlook at home was quite unserious there wasn’t any pressure. I did learn how to make clothes and be creative at home which was helpful. The fashion world looked glitzy and glamourous from the perspective of my home where it was just about being creative in your own way.

This weekend our editor in chief, Lara Jones, managed to land and interview with the designer herself. They talked origin, inspiration and collaborations.

Get exclusive 3. How was it working with a large scale brand like Nike as a with Tega smaller rework/sustainable business? Fortunately, my experience was very good as some corporate companies can be hoop jumping and too busy to listen. I had a small team that I could laisse with and they were passionate about helping me get the merge of sustainability into the company that i wanted. I got lots of freedom which was great and also learnt a lot.

4.Your brand has grown so much in just 4 years. What do you think is your unique marketing strategy that has brought people to your brand?

I think the thing people find interesting is that it is not necessarily marketing strategy. Marketing plays a lot in smoke and mirrors and that's not what my brand is about. My brand is still small and is about providing its little niche styles and keeping a circular and slow approach. Something I do to attract people is use a lot of visual, artistic and conceptual imagery to draw eyes to my brand,

This weekend our editor in chief, Lara Jones, managed to land and interview with the designer herself. They talked origin, inspiration and collaborations.

Get exclusive with Tega

5. You have demonstrated how a small sustainable

rand can become more mainstream. How do you think we can solidify sustainable fashion into the future generation?

The younger generation is most definitely more conscious of health, purchasing behaviours and more interested in sustainability and vintage. I think it is great that he younger generations eyes are on the conversation of sustainability and that it is brought to attention. I am aware that fashion schools teach this topic a lot, as it surrounds what the industry will look like in the future. Environmental choices surrounding this topic are very important to graduates, as they need awareness around this subject in their careers.

Falling for you The autumn edit

responsible materials responsible customers

FOOTBALL JERSEYS

REWORKING/SUSTAINABLE TWISTS 2024 has been the year of sport tends in fashion, with the euro world cup and releases of movies like Challengers featuring Zendaya. From skirts and corsets to high end style dresses, the football jersey has been reused and reworked into all different shapes and sizes. The sports trend has taken up our eyes throughout this year and is only expected to grow. We hope to see more of this reusable trend in 2025.

Vivienne Westwood Stella McCartney festive Diamante heart falabella mini tote - £895 earrings - £105

REN skincare daily glow AHA tonic - £30