sdca Studio Presents Collection #004 ‘REBIRTH’ at London Fashion Week
Designed and made by a woman, for women. At sdca, the shackles of perfection are rejected in favour of a
commitment to doing and being better. At the core of everything is circularity, guided by conscious practices
throughout the design and making process. From minimal-waste pattern-cutting to the use of natural and
deadstock materials, each choice is a step towards reducing waste and reshaping outdated practices within the
fashion industry.
This ethos shapes sdca’s latest collection, #004, entitled ‘REBIRTH’. An artisanal collection of one-off pieces made
entirely from fabric scraps and leftovers created during the making of the brand’s three previous collections.
Saved from day one, these off-cuts have been collected throughout the toiling, sampling and production stages,
waiting for their next purpose.
‘REBIRTH’ revisits the ideas and materials of each previous collection, giving them new life and allowing them to
evolve into something unexpected. Collection #001 saw calico scraps repurposed into new garments. By
patchworking the random shapes of the leftover fabric, the design revealed itself through the process.
Something that could not have been planned was created.
This way of working became a thread throughout sdca’s collections. For #002, a bag was hand-woven using
jersey strips cut from charity-shop t-shirts. The result left the studio wanting to push the idea further, exploring
how discarded materials could become the starting point for new forms and techniques.
For #004, this process of looking back and reworking what already exists becomes the foundation of the
collection. The scraps are no longer simply remnants of previous designs. They become the material from which
something new can emerge.
The main inspiration for the collection remains closer to home, and specifically Portugal, where designer Sonia
Alves is from. While exploring the idea of giving new life to discarded materials, Alves looked to the centuries-old
Portuguese craft of traditional rug making. These traditional rugs are made using strips of leftover fabric from
the textile manufacturing industry, creating a way to reuse material that would otherwise become waste. When
woven together, the colours are mixed in a seemingly arbitrary way, creating raw, stripy patterns that are full of
character. That rawness, both as a look and a feeling, is something sdca strives to capture in its designs.
From there, the women who traditionally made these rugs became another point of reference, leading Alves to
explore traditional Portuguese costumes, their attire, shapes and motifs.
Yet the foundational source of inspiration for sdca remains the development of exciting shapes through
minimal-waste pattern-cutting. The final design is achieved through experimentation and play, shaped by the
limitations of the fabric and often impossible to predict.
It is a process of problem-solving, letting go and accepting what happens.
‘REBIRTH’ continues this way of working by bringing together materials, ideas and techniques from sdca’s past
and allowing them to take on a new form. Rather than starting with what a garment should be, the collection
begins with what already exists.
sdca will unveil collection #004 on Wednesday 16th September 2026, marking the brand’s first presentation,
which will also feature a live performance.
sdcastudio.com
londonfashionweek.co.uk/designers/s-d-c-a
@sdca_studio
