INTERVIEW #33 SOPHIA SCHYMAN
“Me and a friend challenged each other to a year without any shopping. It was like couples therapy for me and my closet.”
Sophia, also known as Recovering Shopaholics on Instagram, is a person who used to hit the sales with big enthusiasm and next week donate several of the clothes she never even used. She explains that her behaviour wasn’t sustainable, especially not for herself. She decided to have a year without any shopping and that changed everything. In this interview she tells us about that journey, what she thinks about the fashion industry and what you can do to have a more sustainable relationship to clothes.
Occupation:
Content Manager on the garment care brand Steamery Stockholm
What’s your relationship with clothes?
In the past we used to a destructive on-and-off relationship. In my closet I had shelves and hangers full of clothes that I never wore. Weird ”final sale” pieces (never worn), new garments with their tags still on and a gigantic pile of wrinkly clothes I didn’t bother to iron or steam. Then I would — quite satisfied with myself— initiate the massive project of organizing my closet. Discard tons of stuff and donate to Myrorna. Only weeks after a total purge you would find me rummaging through the ”final sale”-basket again, apparently looking for the exact things I discarded a few weeks ago.
This was then. 2017 I was fed up with my compulsive shopping behavior. Me and a friend challenged each other to a year without any shopping. It was like couples therapy for me and my closet. I learned how to appreciate the garments I already had, how to mend them (or at least — make a habit of taking them to the tailors) — and most important I learned how to shop more wisely. I still love clothes but I’ve made it into a sport to buy them second hand. I trade with friends, go hunting in Facebook-groups or on second hand apps. It feels like a wholesome relationship. I think I love even more today, but I don’t share the love for trends and fast fashion.
How would you describe your style?
“Things don’t have to match. If you only buy items you really like, they will come together anyway. ”
I guess I don’t have one. One of my favorite style philosophies comes from Estrid Ericsson, the woman behind Svenskt Tenn: Things don’t have to match. If you only buy items you really like, they will come together anyway.
How would you describe your closet?
Full of things I truly like. Over the years I’ve become more bold in choosing what to wear. I love colors like orange, purple and green. And ruby red, I’m a real sucker for that. Instead of hunting for brands I hunt for materials. I love linen, silk and wool, and always prioritize quality materials over anything else.
What is a sustainable closet for you?
“But having a sustainable mindset in fashion is less about the clothes and more about ones own behavior.”
Well, any closet that’s being fully used is a sustainable one. But having a sustainable mindset in fashion is less about the clothes and more about ones own behavior. Sustainable for me means you’re adopting alternative behaviors over consuming new clothes. Thankfully there are many ways to act more sustainable, and everyone has to find their own path. People who love the concept of new clothes often, will probably love subscribe to new clothes (and return them after use). Some, who just like to change clothes now and then might enjoy be part of a second hand shopping community like Labels We Love. And some might try a capsule closet. All of them are great alternatives in my book.
What do you think about the fashion industry?
“Ambitions are great but actions are what counts.”
Where should we start? Generally I think it’s a disaster. There are of course many initiatives to make the industry more sustainable. But if you are to interpret the fashion brands own sustainability communication, you would assume they are real frontrunners for the climate and human rights. Everyone has great ambitions. Problem is the problems associated with the fashion industry are worse than ever. We have never bought (and thrown out) so much clothes in history as we do now. Ambitions are great but actions are what counts.
What do you believe needs to change?
Consumer behavior but also the industry’s business model. Fashion industry has to rethink the way they make their money. Instead of selling 10 shirts once, they will maybe have to sell one shirt 10 times. They have to take responsibly throughout the chain — from production to purchase, but then also re-purchase and re-purpose.
What can one do that seeks to create a more sustainable closet?
Love clothes more. Appreciate the craftsmanships that’s behind every garment. There are no sewing-robots, every piece is handmade. Take better care of your clothes. Wash them less (excessive washing is the reason clothes lose color or shape way to early), mend them when they’re broken and re-purpose the textiles when they’re finished. I’m just learning how to sew children clothes out of adult clothes, a really fun way of re-purposing clothes that actually are worn out.