"Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed." This phrase takes on its full meaning when the young British-Nigerian designer Tega Akinola begins to have fun transforming faulty electronic cables into a pair of pumps. From a game, a passion because since the artist has specialized in streetwear upcycling, revalorizing all kinds of waste into ultra-desirable clothes.

Sandals and sneakers from scratch

Who doesn't have at home this famous box filled with unusable cables? USB cables, headphones, ethernet cables, or even charging cables: this electronic waste that accumulates and pollutes more than it serves on a daily basis can now afford a second life. Tega Akinola decided to tackle these cables that most often sit at the bottom of cupboards and transform them into shoes. Sandals, stilettos, sneakers... Everything goes there, proving that you can create new and even works of art from scratch.

"When I started, my goal wasn't to tell myself that I was going to try to be sustainable. It was just the idea of buying second-hand items and giving them a facelift. When I realized that I could help inspire people to be more aware of what they're buying and why they're buying it, I started to refine that idea a little more," Tega Akinola told Vogue UK. The success is such that the young artist and designer was highlighted at the exhibition "Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street" at the Design Museum in London, during the year 2021, with one of her works upcycled.



Cables but also socks

Since then, the young woman has diversified, and focuses as much on waste as on used clothes. What was only a hobby during the lockdown quickly turned into a business, with the help and support of APOC Store, which sold some of its creations in limited edition. Stilettos made from socks, pumps made from old sports bags, and ultra trendy handbags imagined from old fleeces... The young woman does not bridle, and does not hesitate to transform everything she finds or almost into clothes and accessories.

  • Style
  • Tempo
  • Fashion trend
  • Shoe
  • Recycling