For now, Levi's' workshops focus on traditional mending skills, such as sewing on a button and hemming, rather than visible mends, and at a recent launch event in London, that seemed to be what its Gen Z participants were looking for.
Levi's workshops currently focus on traditional mending skills like sewing on a button and hemming rather than visible mends, a preference reflected among Gen Z participants at a recent launch event in London.
Outdoor brand Finisterre reports that around a fifth of the mends it provides for customers are designed to be eye-catching, while premium artisan clothing store Toast notes that about a third of customers choose that option.
This trend marks a shift from past practices where mending was primarily about saving money through longer wear rather than buying new, and where older generations preferred repairs to remain hidden.
Another student runs a side hustle selling clothes at car boot sales and believes traditional repair skills would make the venture more lucrative.
Student Lisa noted that her mother's generation would never have wanted their clothing mends to show.
Visible mending is about celebrating the choice to repair items rather than hide the damage.
A growing movement is embracing eye-catching patching and visible mends, spreading from hobby crafters and community workshops to fast-fashion brands and designer catwalks this year.
The 1980s ushered in an era of throwaway fast fashion that undermined the tradition of looking after and mending garments, causing people to lose these practical skills.