- DS Automobiles has collaborated with French high-end fashion designers EGONlab and London-based innovative research and design studio Post Carbon Lab to create a unisex four-piece fashion collection
- The CO2-absorbing clothing collection forms a part DS’ Future Craft philosophy combining French luxury savoir-faire with innovative and sustainable materials
- Concept capsule collection consists of a bomber jacket, two t-shirts and a trench coat which have been treated with photosynthetic coating that absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen
- Capsule collection has absorbed up to 1,452g of CO2 in 10 weeks, the same amount as a six-year-old oak tree over approximately six months
- DS Automobiles, with its electric E-TENSE range, is an official partner to Paris Fashion Week, with the collection revealed just in time for the Women’s event, which runs from 1 – 9 March 2021
The CO2-absorbing clothing collection forms a part DS’ Future Craft philosophy, combining French luxury savoir-faire with innovative and sustainable materials. By absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the clothing line also underlines DS’ commitment to eco-conscious luxury that stands at the core of the electrified E-TENSE range.
The collection builds on the French brand’s affiliation with Paris Fashion Week, and previews on the eve of the Women’s A/W shows (1 – 9 March 2021). The four-piece unisex collection has been created in collaboration with emerging high-fashion brand EGONlab – which featured as part of Paris Fashion Week’s SPHERE Showroom last year – and London-based design research studio, Post Carbon Lab.
Consisting of a Parisian inspired slogan bomber jacket, trench coat and two t-shirts, designed exclusively for DS Automobiles by EGONlab, the garments feature elements treated by Post Carbon Lab with the photosynthetic coating, which absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The photosynthetic coating created by Post Carbon Lab consists of a layer of living algae on the fabric of the garments that absorbs carbon dioxide and emits oxygen, turning the carbon into glucose. So far, during the dyeing and coating process over the course of 10 weeks, the capsule collection has absorbed 1,452g of CO2, the same amount as a typical six-year-old oak tree over approximately six months.
The all-electric DS 3 CROSSBACK E-TENSE and DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4 Plug-in Hybrid deliver avant-garde style and advanced technologies with zero tailpipe emissions and elevated efficiency respectively. EGONlab is an emerging French fashion brand, co-founded and led by Florentin Glemarec and Kévin Nompeix. Its designs are inspired by artistic movements and modern society – creating performative fashion that pays homage to great revolutionaries of our time.
“We are delighted to have worked with DS Automobiles and Post Carbon Lab to create this truly unique collection. The collection consists of two statement t-shirts, bomber jacket and trench coat – trademarks of the EGONlab label – with each featuring a powerful slogan.
“We took inspiration from the city of Paris and the strong spirit of its residents and were excited to work with new materials and techniques. The bomber jacket (Green Bomber) and trench coat (Power Sustainable Dreams) are partially coated with the photosynthetic coating, whilst the t-shirts (Lead the Charge), have been completely treated with the coating. We love how each piece has turned out and how accessible they are for people looking to make a statement and reduce their carbon footprint.” Florentin Glemarec and Kévin Nompeix, Joint CEOs & Artistic Directors of EGONlab.
Post Carbon Lab, founded by researchers Dian-Jen Lin and Hannes Hulstaert, is a trans-disciplinary design research studio with a focus on sustainability and ‘green living’. Its microbial treatments allow fabrics and clothes to serve an ecological purpose and respond to the world around them.
“Working alongside DS Automobiles and EGONlab has been a great way to test our new technology and merge the two worlds of fashion, innovation and green living together – something we strive to provide the metropolitan audience with. It is clear that as individual brands, we all share a passion for using advanced technologies and working towards a sustainable future.
“We collaborated with EGONlab to treat the materials used for the concept collection using our microbiological processes. This is a living algae coating, consisting of layers of photosynthetic micro-organisms that can turn carbon dioxide into oxygen – the coating process as a whole took between seven and 10 weeks.” Dian-Jen Lin and Hannes Hulstaert, Co-founders of Post Carbon Lab.
The four-piece capsule collection is part of wider plans for DS to explore a potential limited run of the garments for consumer purchase in the future. DS Automobiles already offers an electrified variant across its entire model range, courtesy of the E-TENSE range. These models will be joined this year by the all-new DS 9 and DS 4, available in plug-in-hybrid, as the brand will offer only fully electric and plug-in hybrid model range by 2025. DS Automobiles is also a two-time world champion of the fastest growing sport on the planet, Formula E. Last year, DS TECHEETAH and driver António Félix da Costa took home the Formula E championship after a dominant season in the electric-only motorsport series.