City-based communications professional Misha Paul has been wearing upcycled clothes since well before the word became popular. The concept was introduced to her by her mother, who has been cutting up and refashioning clothes for as long as she can remember. She explains, “I’ve grown up seeing my mom upcycle old clothes and saris into curtains, pillow covers, bedsheets etc.” In fact, Paul herself upcycled her first item very early on. “I couldn’t find a purple lehenga in my budget for a very close friend’s wedding. So, I took my sari to a tailor and told him exactly what I wanted and it turned out well,” she adds.

The last two years have seen many thrift stores mushrooming online. Mostly driven by people who found time to sort out their cupboard during the Covid-19 pandemic, the ‘pre-loved’ clothing movement is being popularly adopted by young people. Against this backdrop, the upcycling of clothes has become really popular too. Especially for those who find it hard to let go of old favourites, this is ideal.