Red3licte: A charity collective with an appetite for surrealism

Hi Red3licte! How would you describe your work to somebody who has not experienced it before?

Like when the ostriches escape the zoo!

When did the collective begin? How did it evolve from a handful of t-shirts to where it is today?

We’d individually been making bits and pieces and friends had asked to buy them – but it didn’t feel right taking money from people for things we’d enjoyed making. That wasn’t really why we were making them. We had a link with a charity, Hope for the Young, and approached them about selling pieces to raise money for them – and it grew from there. We like each other and needed an excuse to get together, which also snowballed…

“Along the way we’ve run workshops where ’strangers’ have Red3licte-d their own pieces, then donated them to our collection to be auctioned. In our minds, they’ve been a part of the collective too.” – Red3licte

And how many members form the team? 

Core members maybe four, maybe more, but it’s a constant conversation -– we hope that some people continue to contribute in whatever capacity or time they have and we hope to bring in new people and energy. Along the way we’ve run workshops where ’strangers’ have Red3licte-d their own pieces, then donated them to our collection to be auctioned. In our minds, they’ve been a part of the collective too.

“Workshop is about the joy of collaboration – we pulled in every person we could to create and document these clothes.” – Red3licte

I’d like to discuss Collage Couture for a Good Cause, your first project that sits at an intersection of sustainability and surrealism. Why did a fashion collection feel like the most rational outcome for this? 

This definitely stemmed from the selfish want to be creative, to make and justify it. Knowing it had a reason then pushed us further. Realistically the skills we have are in the fashion realm, it’s what we’ve spent our working hours doing thus far. It seemed like the best way we could help anyone was by using what we know and our various collaborators to amplify a cause. We knew Hope for the Young, who mentor, fund and support young refugees and asylum seekers in the UK so we were able to have an ongoing conversation with them to help structure our own fundraising, whilst gaining more understanding of their important mission, and the wider context of the global refugee crisis. The collection and magazine are split into three themes that reflect what went into it. Proto is about creating, beginnings and ideas becoming real. Workshop is about the joy of collaboration – we pulled in every person we could to create and document these clothes. And Soirée is a party.

How do the three accompanying zines enhance the vision of this project?

Suddenly we had all these clothes and we wanted to document them. We’re visual people and felt like showing the clothes out in the world would say more than we could through talking. We started asking some of our friends if they’d shoot them and it quickly became apparent we could make something akin to a magazine, but maybe with some more chaotic energy where each segment of the zine reflects a theme. From Paloma and Sharna’s powerful creative energy for Workshop, to the exploding volcano of Proto, to the mystery of Soirée’s strawberry.

Our creative Directors Carla Valdivia and Malik Lacheheb had the quite difficult job of trying to make all of the content make sense, and fit onto our pages. We think they did great, especially given they were doing it from opposite sides of the globe. We couldn’t believe all the beautiful and insane work created by our contributors, from poetry to photoshoots. It’s also been a way to rationalise the project within the ‘inner sanctum’ of those of us putting things together and starting to create a language both visually, but also finding our true voice – which it turns out is anarchic, positive and surreal.

“The challenges of how to re-fashion a simple t-shirt are very inspiring to us.” – Red3licte

What did you hope to elicit from repurposing in a way that defies expectation?

The challenges of how to re-fashion a simple t-shirt are very inspiring to us. The idea of recontextualisation and each piece having a history is appealing. These are things we’d get excited about if we found them in thrift stores or at flea markets. There’s human character, the mark of the maker and a lot of individuality in each piece.

What does recontextualising fashion entail? Why did now seem like a relevant time to trial this?

We wanted to make something from ‘nothing’ – to use what we had around us and re-invent it. Creatively, having limitations can often be really inspiring and motivating; absorbing existing prints, colours and graphics, abstracting them and celebrating them.  It’s a conversation with the clothes. Improvisation. We thought some (or maybe all) of the pieces are a bit mad – maybe people are more likely to buy a magazine for charity than a t-shirt with sleeve boobs. Luckily we’ve been surprised on that front! So we made 350 hand-numbered copies that we covered the costs of, meaning that 100% of the sales of each copy, minus any pesky PayPal transaction fees, will end up at the charity. Our friends at Climax Books have been incredible in helping us launch and distribute. Plus, the list of generous stockists helping the cause keeps growing. Thank you to Donlon Books, James Veloria, Trees Like Water, Blue Flower Texts, Maryam Nassir Zadeh and White Cube. If anyone else would like to buy copies and donate please get in touch!

“As much as we feel powerless to impact policy on how these situations are managed, leading with compassion and optimism towards an individual’s right to rebuild their life seems like a good place to start.” – Red3licte

It feels apt that you’re revitalising both fashion and the welfare of young refugees, particularly with the current devastation in Ukraine. Why was it significant for you to select a charity involved with recovery?

At times it seems like the global refugee crisis is a taboo subject, and isn’t considered on a human level – the impact on individuals having to flee their countries and seek safety elsewhere for a number of hideous reasons. I think when we started to talk with Hope for the Young we felt it was something we should all be more vocal about. As much as we feel powerless to impact policy on how these situations are managed, leading with compassion and optimism towards an individual’s right to rebuild their life seems like a good place to start.

In which ways do you hope your creative output can improve the industry? Does collaboration hold any lasting power in fashion?

The best thing about fashion, we think, is that occasionally you get to work with people you really like. It’s not always the lone genius – a lot of memorable fashion moments are the results of friendship too. That will always be a good thing about this industry and hopefully it can be harnessed to innovate ways in which we can change fashion for the better.

How often can we expect to see the collective release work? 

Annually on a print level as it’s so much work. Though we have nothing but respect for the people that pump out collections and magazines every few months. In terms of producing work, we’re open to seeing how this project evolves naturally – we’d love to run more workshops, and maybe have flash sales of shorter runs of pieces that we make and collaborate on. But for now we are focussed on shifting the current collection and copies so get them before they’re gone!

The third zine, Soiree, is centred around a party. So, what or who would you like to celebrate now that the project is live?

We would want to celebrate all the people that gave their time for this. We also really need to sort out some actual Soirées to sell the zine, so with our future readers haha! On a bigger level we’d want to make the Jubilee into a celebration welcoming people recently arrived to the United Kingdom.

Finally, what’s next on the menu for Red3licte?

At least some of it will be edible!