Today we’d like to introduce you to Faye Francisco.
Faye, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I’ve always been into fashion, but it wasn’t till two years ago when I started exploring sustainable fashion. I watched The True Cost and it made me want to learn more about where my clothes are made and who was making it. After reading up on the negative effects of fast fashion, it made me realize that I wanted to do more than just explore it. So I got a group of friends together and did an upcycling brunch and talked about sustainable fashion. After that, I realize that I wanted to continue doing more upcycling workshops/parties. I ended up partnering with a few local companies and organizations to host more, such as Reformation, Rent My Wardrobe, Pairr, and Veggiemijas.
Fast forward to this year and the pandemic hit. I end up canceling my workshop and converting my other two ones to a digital format. Then as the pandemic continued to worsen and racial tensions started rising, it made me want to explore representation in the sustainable fashion industry and dive deeper into my Filipino roots and how it intertwines with sustainability. This is something I’m still exploring through my online shop. I’m launching the shop next week, on Oct. 22nd. I plan on using the shop to create more diversity and find more ways to make sustainable fashion more accessible to all.
Has it been a smooth road?
No. Not at all! The sustainable fashion scene in Dallas is small, but it’s growing. Awareness on sustainable fashion and getting over the connotation that sustainable fashion is only for people with big pockets is the biggest objections I get. I’m hoping that through my shop, I can continue to overcome those objections and empower others to make conscious decisions when it comes to their closet.
Personal struggles I’ve encountered are just managing everything myself and imposter syndrome. I’m a one-woman shop. I do everything from planning workshops to creating samples to marketing to finance to designing the website. I’ve learned when to ask for help and I’m fortunate enough to have a good support system so when the going gets tough, they always remind me that I can do this and that I’m pursuing something I love.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Lumikha by Faye was formerly Revive. When I first started out as Revive it was just upcycling workshops, but it’s now evolved into a vintage and repurposed clothing store and upcycling workshop. I specialize in upcycling workshops/parties/creations. I’m most known for helping people learn about sustainable fashion through repurposing their clothes. I’m most proud of the evolution and platform I’m creating. I did a series of Instagram post centered around representation within the sustainable fashion industry and that series really helped me find my voice in the midst of the chaos of 2020. This is just the beginning and I’m excited for my vision for Lumikha to come to fruition.
What sets me apart is the educational aspect and workshops I host. I started this to educate and empower others to make more mindful decisions when it comes to their clothes. Although there are a lot of negative effects to fast fashion, I always find a way to educate people in a positive way to where it doesn’t come off as ecoshaming. It’s more about here are the facts and these are potential solutions you can explore to find which suits you best and it’s okay to take baby steps. I talk a lot about upcycling because it’s one of the more accessible solutions to fast fashion. Some other methods people can explore are buying secondhand, buying sustainable, renting or shopping less and only buying what you need.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Just like how the sustainable fashion scene is growing in Dallas, the sustainable fashion industry is growing as well. More and more people are becoming aware and are making changes to their habits. With the pandemic, I’ve notice more and more people are wanting to shop local and small businesses versus big corporations. I see that trend continuing and people shopping secondhand more. A huge concept in sustainability is the circular economy. I see companies shifting to that model instead of the linear model of make, take, and dispose. There will be more business models of companies taking back your clothes to either resell or repurpose. Patagonia and Eileen Fisher already have a similar model, where they take back their customer’s clothing and resell it.
Contact Info:
- Website: lumikhabyfaye.com
- Phone: 4696458458
- Email: lumikhabyfaye@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lumikhabyfaye/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LumikhabyFaye
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
