It’s week four of RE/style on Prime Video, where eight contestants from across Europe are creating awe-inspiring looks from pre-loved clothing. Each week, they’re sewing, draping and stitching their way to a career-defining showcase at London fashion week. And now that we’re officially past the halfway mark, the competition is heating up.
Recapped: far-flung fashions
This week, the theme is all about something that – sartorially, at least – the designers are very familiar with: adventure. With just six hours on the clock, they are tasked with creating a look inspired by their favourite type of travel, from tropical beach getaways to city breaks and mountain treks. Once again, they’ll be able to use five secondhand garments from a wonderful wardrobe of pre-loved goodies (plus a few more for styling at the very end).
Last week, judges Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe and Zadrian Smith crowned 26-year-old French designer Shanie as “head designer”, with the bonus of an extra five minutes to scour the secondhand wardrobe. This week, her design is inspired by a humanitarian trip she took with her parents, where they visited an orphanage. Her structural design takes inspiration from armour, exploring the concepts of protection and care. Using her favoured draping technique to create a sophisticated design with a pouch for holding a baby, she’s blending fashion with function.
Adventure is the theme this week
Saabira’s design is similarly personal. The 29-year-old Londoner is making a two-piece design inspired by banana leaves from Jamaica – a place she dreams of visiting one day. She will also use draping to create a pleated skirt, using pre-loved shirts to make a flowing green top to match. And in a departure from tropical vibes, 22-year-old Emily, from York, is being a classic Brit and planning for rain. Her oversized poncho is inspired by a trip to Barcelona last year, where it poured the entire time. She’ll create the bold, colourful piece by stitching together activewear pieces.
This week, host Emma Willis and the judges are joined by a special guest: model and TV presenter Vogue Williams, who is a self-confessed Vinted obsessive. “Secondhand clothing is very important,” she says. “I collect a lot of clothes and I also pass them on to family, and to friends, which gives me free rein to buy more!”
The guest judge this week is model and TV presenter Vogue Williams
Some of the designers are hoping to turn over a new leaf this week, to correct their earlier missteps in the competition. Italian designer Chiara, 27, has a habit of overembellishing her designs with too many sparkles, which end up distracting from her carefully crafted pieces. This week, her glamorous beachwear design is inspired by a boat trip she took across the Atlantic. The body of her fun, whimsical design is made using an elasticated fabric, with a collar made from linen.
Similarly, 24-year-old Giusy – also from Italy – keeps incorporating too many ideas into her designs. So this week, she’s making a layered multi-pocket vest, inspired by a trip to Morocco. The look will be finished with an elasticated neutral skirt, to make sure the vest remains the focal point. Can she pull it off?
Chiara’s design is inspired by a boat trip she took across the Atlantic
Spoiler alert: yes! On the runway, the judges loved Giusy’s final design this week, and were impressed by how closely she listened to their feedback. But not everyone fared so well. After being crowned “head designer” in week one, Spanish designer Alejandro’s designs have become gradually less cohesive. And this week’s mermaid-inspired design fell flat. Charlotte, a 36-year-old French designer, is also a former challenge winner. The design for her reversible camo skirt – inspired by her time trekking in Indonesia – was promising, but she struggled to adapt when she couldn’t find the exact fabric she wanted. In the end, her look wasn’t giving adventure.
This week, there were several designers who executed and styled their looks to perfection, and the judges really struggled to agree on who should be “head designer”. To find out who they picked, watch episode four now.
Restyled: Louis’ lessons for sojourning in style
I tend to think way more about what I’m wearing on holiday, compared with my day-to-day wardrobe. Perhaps it’s the pressure of packing (and the dreaded airport weigh-in) or the excitement of new surroundings, but holidays can bring a sense of occasion – and freedom – to the way we dress. As Vogue Williams says herself on the show: “When you go away you can take inspiration from what the fashion is over there. You can almost take on a new persona.”
Personally, when taking an adventure abroad, I always start with eveningwear – because let’s face it, it’s the most fun. I find myself especially drawn to patterns on holiday, whether it’s swimwear or a statement piece to wear out to dinner after I’ve slathered my entire body with aftersun. (And colour, too, because nothing goes better with a holiday tan.) Vinted is a great place to find (and sell) these types of pieces. Why not give a second life to your holiday items, so someone else can make memories with them?
Basics might not be quite as much fun to shop for, but I’d argue that they’re even more important to a holiday wardrobe than statement pieces. Especially if you have limited space in your suitcase, versatile garments which can be a part of different looks are a must. For me, that’s shorts – I’m not sure I’ve ever gone on a trip without a pair of denim shorts in my suitcase, plus a black pair or something light and neutral like linen, which pretty much go with everything. If you’re on a beach holiday, I’d advise packing at least two pairs of sandals – one you can keep exclusively for the beach, and a fancier pair you can throw on quickly for drinks or dinner. The same goes for bags – pack a bigger bag you can take to the beach, then something smaller (and glitzier) for the evening. (Travel hack: use your beach bag as your under-the-seat carry-on item.)
If you’re going on a summery city break, the same rules apply. Except maybe go for a bag you can wear around your waist during the day. And when it comes to shoes, swap out the beach sandals for a pair of retro sneakers. After all, who says you have to choose between comfort and style?
Resold: beat the seasonal cycle on Vinted
One of the best things about holiday shopping on Vinted is that you aren’t at the mercy of what’s “in season” (or on sale) in the shops, where you have to wait for items like shorts to appear. If you’re being adventurous in the off-season or are simply planning ahead, Vinted’s pre-loved marketplace is an option all-year-round. And speaking of pre-planning, Vinted is also ideal for selling pieces from your closet ahead of your trip for some extra spending money.
A tip for shopping pre-loved for a holiday adventure is to think carefully about the temperature of your destination – we want to avoid a dreamy piece turning into a nightmare, because you’ve chosen the wrong fabric. To help with this, go for breathable fabrics such as cotton or linen. And Vinted isn’t just about clothes: there is so much more available in the pre-loved marketplace that can add to whatever type of adventure you’re taking, from camping equipment to mountainwear, holiday reads and travel games. With Vinted, take your new-to-you finds on new adventures.
Take your style further. Shop adventure-ready looks on Vinted
