A hotel and a clothing brand don’t seem like the most likely collaborators, but when the two have shared design views, it begins to make sense.
Universal Works and The Pilgrm Hotel are both firmly committed to upcycling, both for creativity’s purpose, but for environmental imperative. Many of the features at The Pilgrm Hotel, Paddington, are upcycled. During a recent refurb, reclaimed flooring from schools and other institutions were used; salvaged fireplaces, disused marble and timber and antique furniture were all repurposed – resulting in 70% of the hotel’s renovation utilising reclaimed materials.
Jason Catifeoglou, co-founder of The Pilgrm Hotel, and Universal Works founder David Keyte met in 2020, and through a chance encounter, collaborated on a capsule in 2020. A year later, the two brands are back for a collaboration that builds on their love of upycling and sustainability.
Keyte declared: “When we started Universal Works, the fabrics we were using for the first two years were the roll-ends, the leftovers at the factories from other brands. What we’re doing here is making products from unwanted, unloved fabrics. For the past 30 years, I’ve seen that almost every factory has a storeroom full of amazing quality cloths in small quantities; not enough to make a collection or a sales channel. When I see it, I can almost hear it saying ‘I’m lovely – why doesn’t anyone use me?’. We’re trying to get back to that. It’s not about numbers, it’s limited, which is a nice thing. This is really about us both making the right decisions in business. Making conscious choices about longevity.”
The aim of the collaboration is to explore a considered and meaningful way of designing clothes. It is a response to fashion’s drops, and a subtle stance against Black Friday hysteria. In addition, building on both brand’s ethical commitments, profits are donated to Centrepoint.
After a preview at The Pilgrm Hotel, the full collection is available at the Universal Works web store.
