Rewriting Fashion Through Slow Fashion Fridays

In the spirit of spring cleaning and Earth Month, Sarah Marie Day, editor and co-founder of Luméra Magazine, and Britt Bergmeister, model, and founder of On Duty Citizen, are building a community through Slow Fashion Fridays. Their initiative took to Instagram on March 22, 2024, spreading the message that new things aren’t always necessary. 

Fashion’s idea of rewearing has shifted. “You can think about clothing as a single-use commodity dictated solely by impulses and trends,” says Bergmeister. “Or you can think about it from a longer-term perspective where your decisions on what to buy and what companies to support have a global impact.”

Bergmeister and Day define slow fashion as shifting the perspective of how fashion impacts our lives. Day breaks down slow fashion into three categories: responsible brands, rental, and secondhand/vintage. Every Friday, they share an outfit on their Instagram pages using the #SlowFashionFriday, combining elements from these three categories.

They instantly knew they would make great friends and collaborators. Their ongoing partnership between Luméra and On Duty Citizen is dedicated to promoting sustainable lifestyle habits and conscious choices surrounding the clothes we wear. The two have also built a continued partnership with Tulerie. “There are so many amazing options through rental, combining that with responsible brands, there’s endless opportunity to style outfits,” says Day.

 

 Day is wearing a rented Saint Laurent Le 37 bucket bag and a Joseph wool blazer. Bergmeister is wearing a rented DISSH linen dress. 

Instagram felt like a natural space to hold each other accountable for their consumption habits and nominate their friends and community to participate in the outfit challenge. “We are inundated on social media with overconsuming habits that often revolve around wearing new clothes. This has become our ‘norm,’ and I think with Slow Fashion Fridays, we’re here to rewrite that narrative,” says Bergmeister. 

When it comes time to craft their slow fashion outfits, Day and Bergmeister often shop from their own closets or each other’s. “Sometimes it is best to have someone else look through your closet and reimage your items,” says Day.

“I saw another model do the outfit study recently, where you take items from your closet

and photograph yourself in them to use as inspiration whenever you feel like you don’t know what to wear,” says Bergmesiter. “A lot of the time, I think it’s just a lack of motivation, time, or energy that leaves you feeling like you need an entire new wardrobe. Renting has also been an incredible option if I still feel uninspired.”

They recently collaborated on a lookbook and photoshoot incorporating rented pieces from Tulerie. Drawing inspiration from the 90s and street-style images of models such as Kate Moss, they put together outfits featuring classic, timeless, and sophisticated elements.

 

 Day is wearing a rented Khaite dress and a Bottega Veneta Mini Sardine shoulder bag.

Day frequently draws style inspiration from her mother's wardrobe, while Bergmeister envisions her future children wearing her own collection someday. Day embraces a Parisian aesthetic, while Bergmeister embodies a cool-girl vibe, two styles that harmonize perfectly. Their shared focus is centered on high-quality fashion that endures over time.

“Social media can be a negative breeding ground for comparison, overconsumption, and negativity,” says Bergmeister. “Sarah and I want people to think that it is cool to rewear what you already have and not get into the habit of constantly comparing yourself to what can often be a completely false reality.”

 

 Bergmeister is wearing a rented Saint Laurent Cassandra mini bag, Joseph wool blazer, and Prada Car Wash skirt. 

Their next step with the initiative is to encourage their community to participate and share their slow fashion outfits. “Even if we get one person to rent instead of buy, that’s a huge win that could have a massive ripple effect. So far, I’ve had many friends messaging me that they’ve rented or shopped vintage for a past event, which excites me,” says Bergmeister. 

The fashion industry should be held accountable for the messages it promotes and transparent about its production process. Slow Fashion Fridays is building a market with more transparency. We want to “engage with the community and try to inspire growth,” says Day.

As a part of the slow fashion movement, we invite the Tulerie community to join the challenge and share your outfits on Instagram.

-As always, elevate your wardrobe with respected fashion and embrace the shift in style.

Photos taken by Andrew Day, @andrewdaystudio