Dauphinette is no longer confined to the image of “the happiest brand on Earth” (innocence be damned). In The Vegetarian, Dauphinette’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection, designer Olivia Cheng released the beast. She declares: “I’m equal parts whimsical and insatiable, ethereal and feral, kind-eyed and cold-blooded. I’m a practicing vegetarian in a ferociously carnal state of mind.”

Cheng has received wide praise for her commitment to upcycling. Uyen Tran, Founder/CEO of Tômtex and a close collaborator with Cheng comments: “her passion for the future of textiles and sustainability really resonated with us. She's keen on using next-gen materials that are truly sustainable.”

When asked about her relationship to the term “sustainability” in fashion, Cheng responded: “I’ve become less interested in messaging sustainability and more interested in my personal practices, which includes a lot of upcycling and repurposing materials.”

Her commitment to the transparency of her sourcing was made evident in the show notes, which included a complete bill of materials for each look, which is very much not the norm. Cheng exceeds expectations in sharing her sourcing transparently.

Cheng’s designs vary widely by look, from street-ready to downright ostentatious. Cheng refers to this collection as “Bedroom Floor Couture.” This collection is not about perfection, it’s about the pleasure of pursuit.

The centerpiece of The Vegetarian is the faux-prosciutto handbag, produced in collaboration with Tômtex.

Bio-based leather alternatives are relatively new to the fashion world. Tômtex makes theirs from a biopolymer called chitin, which is an important structural compound found in mushrooms and shrimp shells. Fun fact: chitin is the second most abundant polymer on Earth.

Cheng has previously constructed skirts and corsets from a prominent leather alternative, Tômtex. For Fall/Winter 2024, Cheng constructed a handbag from Tômtex’s M-series mushroom-based leather, which, she reports, worked particularly well with the material’s properties

Tran shared more on the material’s origin story: “One intriguing aspect of this collection was our exploration of mimicking the textures of steak and prosciutto.” Unlike other bioleathers on the market, the M series mushroom leather has a starting point as a liquid which enables detailed pattern creation.

Look #10 “Vintage upcycled leather, cotton, glass rhinestones, bag from Tômtex, “faux-sciutto” bioleather made from mushroom and shrimp shell waste, vintage pâté knife, vintage brass belt buckle.” Photo Credit Sage Shelton

The inherent contradiction of a vegan leather bag made to look like prosciutto isn’t lost on the audience. The theme of devouring without guilt stirs the underlying question: what is your relationship to consumption itself?

The show notes proclaimed:

When contemplating the fashion industry’s contributions to the climate crisis, perhaps it’s time to reflect more deeply on our relationship to consumption.

Why are we spending $312.7 billion on apparel each year, only to throw 34 billion pounds of textiles into a landfill? Thats roughly speaking a pound of textile waste to the landfill for every $10 we spend on clothing.

While it's not uncommon for all of us to indulge in compulsive spending habits from time to time, there's a more fulfilling approach. Intentional buying and delayed gratification produce serotonin, the neurotransmitter associated with contentment and lasting happiness. In The Vegetarian, Cheng encourages her audience to seek out that deep satisfaction.

Tômtex’s bioleather is an example of a material that satiates our appetite for the texture and presentation of animal products whilst incurring dramatically lower environmental impacts than animal leather, and avoiding the microplastics of petrol-based “vegan” leathers. Compelling biomaterials, such as Tômtex, may satisfy that hunger and curb our compulsion to over-consume.

Whatever you choose to buy, what truly matters is your burning desire to wear your beloved garment. Again and again… and again!∎

Special thanks to: Olivia Cheng for her interview, Uyen Tran for her commentary, Lindsey Media for providing press access, and Jena Cumbo for sharing images.