Becoming The BVOY

I’ve discussed over-saturation and over-consumption, which have been central to my reflection while developing the Daitai brand over the past year. It’s easy to create something new, but circular design requires considering the end of a product’s life. What happens to it when you’re done? Disposal? Recycling? I realize I’m somewhat of an anomaly, willing to take home items that most people find uncomfortable. I’m willing to repair and fix what’s broken, but I’ve noticed that most of my peers don’t share this mindset. So, what’s the issue? A skill gap. The lack of repair skills prevents us from seeing potential in a shirt missing a button or a scuff on a shoe, which often leads to discarding them. Recently, it’s been on my mind to bridge that skill gap, to teach others to see potential where they might otherwise move on. It’s easy to say let’s do it for the earth, but I want more than that. I want to create meaning in our belongings, to add depth to the items we buy and repair repeatedly. I want nostalgia and stories in the pieces we’ve survived with, to counter fast fashion with items worth keeping.