'Dysphoriana' VIN + OMI x Daler-Rowney

On 18th September 2025, Daler-Rowney’s repurposed art materials took to the catwalk at VIN + OMI’s Dysphoriana show, opening London Fashion Week at the Art’otel Hoxton. The collection was a powerful demonstration of how creative industries can work together to reduce waste and reimagine resources. The collection comprised 124 looks and 64 models.

VIN + OMI have worked with us since 2016, continually finding inventive ways to give our by-products a second life. For Dysphoriana, they drew on three specific types of Daler-Rowney waste:

• Discarded paint tubes – plastic and aluminium tubes that were damaged or no longer usable were shredded, processed, and reformed into printed textiles. These became bold dresses that strutted down the catwalk.
• Waste plastic – waste plastic from the Daler-Rowney was recycled into outfits for the catwalk and directly into jewellery for the models
• Damaged and surplus products – paint was repurposed into both the set design and garment details, forming a striking set that framed the catwalk. Rather than becoming waste, our materials were transformed into sculptural features. Our inks and acrylics, for instance, were used to paint shoes, headpieces, bandanas and jewellery, adding bold accents to the collection.
• Direct garment waste paint application – damaged & rejected paint and ink was also applied to dresses and suits from the British Heart Foundation shop to give pre-worn garments a contemporary twist
• Mountboard rejects and offcuts – typically used in our production and packaging, remnants were reworked into accessories, structural detailing within the garments, and the set design. With the involvement of students from Oxford Brookes University’s Foundation Art and Design programme, our mountboard rejects became both a teaching tool and a design medium.

The transformation process involved both traditional techniques and experimental methods. Materials were cut, melted, and bonded to fabrics to create new textures; others were collaged, screen-printed, or layered into appliqué designs.

In addition to the fashion collection, VIN + OMI worked with volunteers from Multaka Oxford and Oxford Brookes University to create dresses made from textiles produced through UK river and street plastic clean-up projects. These pieces were combined with elements of our recycled materials, showing how sustainability can bring together diverse communities and skills.

Our partnership with VIN + OMI is built on a shared belief that industries must look closely at how they use and reuse resources. At Daler-Rowney, we continually review materials, packaging, and energy use to minimise our environmental footprint. Partnering with VIN + OMI allows us to see our own by-products in new ways and push the boundaries of what is possible when art, design and fashion come together.

Dysphoriana was more than a fashion show. It was a vivid example of how waste materials from one industry can be transformed into innovation in another. VIN + OMI champion sustainable design and showcase in a bold, eye-catching way to capture attention for their concepts and processes. Which they hope inspires artists, students, and makers to rethink the possibilities of the materials around them.

At Daler-Rowney, we believe that creativity should never come at the expense of the planet. Our work with VIN + OMI is one way we are demonstrating that commitment proving that with imagination, responsibility, and collaboration, even a discarded paint tube can have a second life.