when fashion meets soil: the unexpected intersection of ELS and proof by underpants
In our last conversation, we delved into the subtle, yet profound, connection between well-being, personal style, and the pursuit of happiness. How the garments we wear each day are often more than just fabric - they are expressions of how we want to feel, how we wish to be, and what we hope to create in our lives. But what if we expanded that idea beyond ourselves? What if our clothes could reflect not just our personal aspirations, but the very earth beneath our feet - the soil, the roots, the planet we share?
It may sound lofty. But that´s exactly what Edie Lou Studio is planing to do with their upcoming collaboration. And no, this isn´t just another sustainable collection plastered with buzzwords. This is something deeper, something much more aligned with the true meaning of sustainability. It begins in the most unlikely of places: your underwear drawer.
Proof by Underpants Project
The Proof by Underpants Project: Surprisingly Brilliant, Incredibly Simple
Enter the Proof by Underpants Project - a curious, slightly quirky initiative that, at first glance, might appear as performance art masquerading as sustainability. The premise is deceptively simple; bury a pair of cotton underpants in the soil and track how long it takes for them to decompose. A quick breakdown indicates healthy soil; a slower breakdown signals that something´s amiss with the earth’s ecosystem. It´s as straightforward as it sounds - but the implications are profound. It is simple. It is clever. And it is pretty radical in the way it challenges us to rethink what is actually happening to the garments we wear when we are done with them.
Think about it: We have all been there - buying that cute thing that makes us feel like the most stylish person in the room, only to toss it aside after a few wears. We’re all guilty of it, right? But that moment of satisfaction comes with a price: those clothes don´t just vanish when we are done. They stick around. They take their sweet time to degrade, and that´s if they ever do.
This is where Edie Lou Studio enters the narrative. To give this project a deeper meaning, we are working with Dr. Sebastian Franz Bender, an expert in environmental sustainability and soil health, to analyze not just the health of the soil but also the fabric of fashion itself. Wit his guidance, we will examine how the materials we wear, day in and day out, interact with the earth - how they break down, how long they last, and how they affect the world beneath our feet.
ELS joins the project
ELS Joins the Project
The collaboration is a challenge to the very way we think about fashion. With this collaboration, we are leaning into a simpler truth: fashion doesn´t need to be fleeting. It doesn´t need to be a disposable pleasure. It can be a lasting, thoughtful choice. When we start considering the life cycle of our clothes - when we realise they don´t just exist in our closets, but in the earth too - things start to look different.
It is a metaphor for the fashion industry itself. Our clothes, much like those underpants, don´t necessarily just disappear. They either integrate into nature or linger in a landfill for years, doing more harm than good. The Underpants Project cuts through the noise and shows us exactly what happens when things don´t break down the way they should.
Dr. Bender´s work reminds us that sustainability isn´t a buzzword; it is a process. It is about understanding the system we are part of and finding ways to contribute to their health rather than their decline. And through this partnership, we are learning that sustainability isn´t just a one-size-fits-all solution, It is nuanced, specific, and deeply tied to the environment it serves.
This project isn´t about simply creating garments that disappear. It is about creating garments that give back - pieces that nourish the earth as much as they once nourished the wearer. And that is a challenge we are excited to take on.
Luxury With a (Very Real) Purpose
Now, let´s talk about luxury, because that´s where this whole thing gets really interesting. We tend to think of luxury as something that exists above and beyond, an indulgence that separates us from the mundane. But what if true luxury is less about excess and more about purpose? What if it´s about creating something that feels as good as it looks - not just on our bodies, but in the world.
With this collaboration, ELS, tries to find a way to make fashion feel luxurious and responsible at once. It is about garments that are as lovely to wear as they are to know you´ll never have to throw them away because they won´t be around long enough to create waste. Biodegradable fabrics that return to the earth once their time is up - no microplastics, no landfill-bound piles of regret, just the quiet dignity of materials that go back where they came from. Organic linens, hemp and biodegradable blends - they’re not just a design choice; they are a value system.
The Proof by Underpants Project allows us to put this philosophy to the test. What does it mean to create garments that are as sophisticated in their design as they are in their afterlife? How can fashion, often fleeting, leave a lasting positive impact? The answers lie beneath our feet, in the soil that sustains us all.
When you think about legacy in fashion, you think about timeless pieces. A trench coat that outlast trends. A pair of boots that grow softer with every wear. But what if legacy wasn´t about how long something could last in your closet, but how gently it could return to the earth?
The Proof by Underpants Project has pushed us to reimagine what a “luxury” garment can be. It is not just about how it feels on your skin; it is about how it exist in the world - how it moves through its lifecycle and, eventually, how it leaves the stage. Because at the end of the day, the most luxurious thing we can do is create something that doesn´t leave a mess behind.
The answers lie beneath our feet, in the soil that sustains us all
Beyond Fashion: A Quiet Call to Reimagine Our Impact
In an age where it is all too easy to get caught up in the fever of constant consumption, ELS´s collaboration with Proof by Underpants Project is a profound reminder. The garments we buy don´t just impact us in the here and now - they impact the world long after we´ve moved on from them. This isn’t about being perfect or ticking all the boxes for sustainability. It is about taking the time to think, to pause, and ask: What´s the footprint I’m leaving behind? And is it one I can be proud of?
This collection might ask us to reconsider what “luxury” truly means, Is it something that makes us feel good for a moment? Or is it something that enriches the world, both in how it is made and how it interacts with the earth after we have let it go?
Fashion With Intention: Making Choices that Matter
We often talk about luxury as if it is a momentary indulgence, something that is out of reach or out of context with the larger world. But what if true luxury was about making thoughtful, intentional choices? About buying less, but buying better? About investing in pieces that don´t just look good on us, but that also leave us feeling good about the world we are helping to create?
That is the essence of Edie Lou Studio´s collaboration with the Proof by Underpants Project - luxury, yes, but luxury with a deeper meaning. It is about slowing down and being mindful of the impact every garment has, not just on our wardrobes, but on the planet.
fashion that flatters your future
Looking Ahead: Fashion that Lasts, in Every Way
As we move forward with this collaboration, we are left with one big, looming question: What kind of future do we want to create? Fashion has the power to influence so much more than what is hanging in our closets. It can influence the systems we are part of, the resources we use, and the stories we tell about our place in the world
As Edie Lou Studio gets ready to launch this collection in Fall 2025, it is clear that this isn´t just another moment in fashion - it is a statement. It is an invitation to be part of a movement that is rethinking what fashion can and should be. It is fashion that doesn´t just flatter your body; it flatters your future.
So, next time you make a purchase, ask yourself: How long will this last? Not just in my closet, but in the world around you. Because with Edie Lou Studio and Proof by Underpants, we are reminded that fashion doesn’t just belong to us - it belongs to the planet, too. And when we choose pieces that are crafted with intention, we are participating in something much bigger than the clothes we wear.
We leave you with this to reflect on: When it comes to what you wear, are you thinking about its story - not just while it is yours, but after it is gone? If your clothes could talk, what story would they tell - a story of care, purpose, and return, or of neglect and permanence? Do the fabrics that touch our skin reflect the care we want to extend to the planet beneath our feet?
Links to Proof by Underpants Project: