For Hong Kong designer Vincci Ching, old is the new fashion glamour – and Golden Globes stars agree

Eco-conscious accessories designer Vincci Ching is on a mission to increase the use of old materials and reduce fashion’s carbon footprint.

Her Hong Kong-based brand, Heritage ReFashioned, upcycles vintage fabrics into clutches, coin purses, cufflinks and other accessories – and Hollywood celebrities are among those impressed. Most recently, Ching’s products were included in the much-coveted Golden Globes goody bag.

“Many of the event’s attendees were actually surprised to hear that the products were made from vintage fabrics. So whilst they come from the fifties to eighties, they are premium materials that are both well crafted and long-lasting,” says Ching.

“To the celebrities who attended, or really to anyone who touches the product, it’s an opportunity to feel something that is culturally authentic. It showcases that upcycling can be glamorous and colourful too.”

She says her interest in vintage fabrics was fired on a trip to Tokyo. “I walked into a secondhand kimono store by chance, where I noticed in a back corner a pile of fabric scraps. The store owner explained that the material came from damaged garments, and that sometimes people bought them to salvage and reuse in various ways. So I brought a few bags home, and that was really the start of my journey.”