deLona Exclusive Upcycling

deLona

EXCLUSIVE UPCYCLING

NOTHING IS LOST, EVERYTHING IS TRANSFORMED

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DELONA

Welcome to the circular economy – a movement that embraces sharing, reusing, recycling, refurbishing, and of course, upcycling – giving new life to things that seemingly no longer have any use. In Marbella, fashion company, deLona, is leading the way when it comes to the upcycling movement. Its founder, Mariana Forcillo, launched her company in 2020 – a year in which many businesses were folding or pausing their operations. For Mariana, this challenging time provided the perfect opportunity to dream of new ways of making the world a better place through fashion. deLona comprises two words – ‘de’ (‘of) and ‘lona’ (canvas). It is the perfect name for a brand whose product list comprises items made of unwanted canvas, as well as many additional materials.

AN EYE FOR CHANGE

Mariana, a designer by trade, first came upon the idea of upcycling while working in a beauty store. She says, “I noticed that the shop was continually throwing away large advertising canvasses,” adding, “They featured ads for Chanel, Dior, and other brands. I remember thinking that they could be reused in so many ways. Canvas is water-resistant and it holds colour well. It is particularly suitable for bags, hats, trousers, coats, and pouffes,” she says. deLona makes a wide range of items in other materials as well, including adorable stuffed dogs that inhabit some of Marbella’s chicest décor stores, as well as bracelets made from scrap materials.

FROM THE BASKETBALL COURT TO THE CATWALK

Mariana has an entire line of bags made from unwanted rugby, football and basketball balls. These items are made in a tough, sturdy material that makes for ideal fashion accessories that last a lifetime. In the early days of her business, she began approaching sports clubs, who were happy to give away equipment that was no longer usable. deLona also

collaborates with charitable institutions, including María Bravo’s Global Gift Foundation.

MADE IN UBRIQUE

Mariana works alongside talented leathersmiths and sewers in the municipality of Ubrique, which is famed for its leather industry. “Each item is unique, as its design depends on factors such as how much material is available. I cut out destroyed bits of material and salvage what I can. I then send detailed design plans to the manufacturers, who are experts at sewing even the most complicated creations.” In a multimaterial design, for instance, the colour of the thread has to change and the available material can come in many different shapes.”

Mariana tells me that each article has its own story and that some items she retrieves are signed by their previous owners.” She happily transforms each piece into beautiful accessories that have a whole new life ahead of them and the ability to form part of many new memories.

g www.delona.eu Social Media: @delonaspain

“Creativity is making marvelous out of the discarded”