agnès b. and The Mills join hands to present upcycled Christmas tree

agnès b. and The Mills have joined hands to unveil a supersized hanging Christmas tree, sustainability-themed festive decoration and exhibition that spark green inspirations and encourage upcycling this season.

Also known as “The Dancing Cloak”, the Christmas tree will be hung in The Hall on the ground floor of The Mills from 10 December to 6 January 2023, a tribute to the eponymous fashion piece, featured in the agnès b. 2022 FW collection.

The Dancing Cloak is made with recycled fabrics donated by agnès b. and The Mills and adheres to the principles of “zero waste”. 500 pieces of clothing were cut into strips and twisted together to make 80 colourful braids, the longest one measuring six metres long. The braids are then affixed onto a spiral frame and suspended mid-air for a dynamic, dazzling Christmas decoration.

The Dancing Cloak is a subtle illustration of fashion’s intricate ties with Mother Nature, woven with techniques of yesteryear as a nostalgic reminder of The Mills’ roots. Visitors could walk around The Mills to appreciate its beauty from different angles by either finding its resemblance to Northern Lights of the Arctic Circle on the 1/F, or looking up from below and observe as the brilliant colours cascade from above. The Dancing Cloak Christmas decoration embraces both brands’ philosophies and explores the boundless possibilities to sustainability.

To make the project extra meaningful, The Dancing Cloak was done in collaboration with a local design platform, who invited participants such as residents at Our Common Home - Extended Living Space for SDU in Tsuen Wan and members from Children’s Cancer Foundation to co-create the décor.

Aside from The Dancing Cloak Christmas decoration, the partnership also brings forth a never-before-seen exhibition themed around sustainability to explore how The Mills and agnès b. each found unique ways to experiment and fuse sustainability into their brands. Located in The Hall, the journey to sustainability begins with a phrase Agnès coined especially for the exhibition: “For the Love of the Planet”.

Available until 15 January 2023, the exhibition is split into three zones including The Mills Brand Story Zone, where visitors could read about The Mills’ vision for sustainability as well as how The Dancing Cloak is brought to life through an eye-opening journey into fashion in partnership with agnès b.

The Dancing Cloak will be given a third life in a series of post-holiday workshops. The fabrics used will be cleaned, disinfected, and utilised as materials in arts and crafts workshops done in partnership with different units, all with the aim to promote sustainability by harnessing the power of creativity and community.

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