In a fashion landscape shaped by rapid consumption, the BagCo Project offers a striking alternative: transforming the overlooked into objects of meaning and beauty. Conceived by Akpa Ilemona Theresa, founder and creative director of Reina De Las Fabricas, the project explores sustainability, artistic expression, and cultural storytelling through fashion.
At its core, the BagCo Project reimagines woven polypropylene sacks commonly used for packaging goods in Nigeria. Often discarded, these materials are reconstructed into sculptural garments that blur the line between fashion and art. What began as an experiment has since evolved into a deliberate exploration of material, memory, and form.
Reflecting on the Project’s origin, Akpa notes:
“What started as curiosity became a language. By the third piece, I realised I was not simply designing garments—I was creating from a deeper artistic impulse. I see myself first as an artist, and fashion is my medium. The BagCo Project is a dive into the mind of an artist, expressed through structure, texture, and form.”
Each piece challenges conventional ideas of luxury, elevating utilitarian materials through intricate construction and layered detailing. For new audiences, the work is visually arresting; for those familiar with it, the pieces reveal deeper narratives of transformation, resilience, and identity.
This year, the BagCo Project shifts from runway to gallery, presented as an art exhibition rather than a traditional fashion show. This evolution allows for a more immersive experience, positioning each garment as a sculpture and storytelling object, inviting closer engagement with its textures and meanings.
Beyond aesthetics, the Project contributes to conversations on sustainability and community, encouraging material reuse and collaborative participation. Ultimately, the BagCo Project is not just a collection, but an evolving dialogue—one that redefines value and expands the possibilities of fashion as art.
More information can be found here.
