In the past mending was primarily about saving money, by wearing clothes for longer, rather than buying new. But visible mending is about celebrating that choice.
The trend took off about six years ago, Jayne says, and has boomed since.
An era of “throwaway” fast fashion from the 1980s onwards undermined the tradition of looking after and mending your clothes and people lost the skills, she says.
The revival of interest feels to her like a backlash against overproduction in the fashion industry and the damage it causes: the pollution, carbon emissions, water use, and poor labour conditions.
So perhaps it is surprising just how popular mended style is proving among retailers, with brands from Ralph Lauren to ultra-fast-fashion firm Shein currently selling stitched and patched garments, albeit in both of those cases brand new off the peg.
Other High Street chains are adopting a more authentic approach, offering in-house repairs and workshops.
“We want to give customers practical ways to extend the life of the clothes they already love, rather than simply replacing them,” says Uniqlo’s head of sustainability, Maria Ledous.
