Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Mccoy
Hi Kristen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I first began upcycling as a child. I grew up on a farm, the nearest fabric store was 25 minutes away, and we just didn’t have the money for new fabrics. However, my grandmother gave me her old Singer machine from the ’60s, and taught me the basics of the machine, and since I was the youngest child and didn’t need to pass my clothes down to somebody else, my parents let me cut apart my old clothes to make my various projects (I especially loved making purses). Years later, I discovered the thrift store, and realized this is where I could get all the materials I needed at a price I could afford in Jr. high.
In 2007, while attending MCTC (now Minneapolis College) in their Apparel Technologies program, I learned that PETE1 water bottles and polyester are the same thing. I was mortified by this. For a little reference, I was the waitress that after learning the restaurant where I worked didn’t recycle, would bag up the recycling and bring it home to recycle in my personal bin. Additionally I was very well aware of the dwindling quality of fast fashion, and how pieces were being made with poor enough quality you could almost consider them disposable. We recycle bottles, but not polyester. And the disposable garments were primarily made from poly. From that point on, I decided to get back to what I was doing as a kid. I committed to using only secondhand and surplus materials for my designs, and honestly there is so much excess out there right now, it hasn’t been difficult.
In 2010, I opened my first boutique in DC with one of my best friends, Ginger Root Design. It was a home for our upcycling and specialized tailoring services, where we would upcycle/mend forgotten pieces, family heirlooms, and damaged pieces from the closet to get them up and running again. After 5 years we closed up shop to both focus on our growing families, and in 2017 I moved back home to Minnesota.
In 2019, the momentum in the sustainable fashion community was building fast, and I wanted to be a part of it. On March 14th, 2020 I opened the RETHINK Tailoring & Sewing Lounge, where people could pay by the hour to use the machines with guidance from a sewing expert, where people could take classes to learn mending, upcycling, alterations, and how to make clothing, and where I could create my upcycled designs and could do custom upcycling for clients. But as many of us have learned, some things are just out of our control. The pandemic was devastating to a community based sewing lounge where the main goal was providing a place to gather. We pivoted over and over again to try to get to the original vision for the store, but the world had changed. In fall of 2022 I had to close the doors and convert the space to my personal studio while I regrouped. Looking back, as hard as that was to give up on that dream, other doors opened for me, which I couldn’t have done while running the sewing lounge, and life pushed me back to focusing on my upcycled designs.
Creating my upcycled art was a place where I could heal from the chaos of the previous years. I started doing fashion shows again in 2023, upcycled a red carpet gown for the James Beard Awards, did wardrobe for Diana Ross, and created upcycled costumes for the James Sewell Ballet for 2 different shows. While the last 5 years have been so difficult, I am thankful that the world found a way to remind me where my heart really is. And moving forward this next year, I will be stepping away from client work, and focusing on my upcycled designs and building community around sustainable fashion.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an upcycler AND an environmental activist. My mission is to divert as much textile waste from our landfills as possible, and to inspire other as well by sharing ideas on my instagram (@rethinktailoring). I collect damaged garments the thriftstores can’t accept, and unwanted fabrics, and get inspired by those materials to create my wearable art. Any materials in excess of what I can use, I give away to the community and other local upcyclers. Over the last year I have regifted 55 bins worth of materials. I post my RETHINKtrash collection list on my blog (https://rethinktailoring.com/category/blog/) and I will ALWAYS be collecting damaged jeans.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
After moving back to Minnesota, I started attending the sustainable fashion events and went to the ReuseMN convention. I met so many people at these events, and was thankful that people were so supportive of what I was doing. During the pandemic, Instagram was also a very important way for me to build community as well, when it was difficult to gather in person.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rethinktailoring.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rethinktailoring
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rethinktailoring
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@rethinktailoring
