We were lucky to catch up with Rebecca Chamberlain recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rebecca, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I’ve worked across a number of disciplines since leaving full-time fashion design work in 2002. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve loved the adventure of it and feel less anxious than I did working at one place day in and day out. I’ve been an exhibiting artist with gallery shows throughout the world, been in a touring rock band with my husband and took our first child along for the ride in the UK (where they are consummate professionals at nannying) and always kept a foot in fashion as a ghost designer for many brands.
Life getting very small and quiet during the pandemic allowed me to do a reset. I partnered in a vintage clothing shop in the Catskills where i began mending and sewing and searching and playing with vintage garments. It had been so long since Id just played with clothing. I didn’t have a deadline, or a season to prepare for and this allowed for mental meandering.
The project I am working on now grew out of this time. It is a blend of my fashion background and art-making. The garments are built from other garments, are one of a kind (for the most part) and often tell a story through the history of the materials.
It’s grown into an on-line and brick and mortar business and takes all of my focus. I also am able to make a living from it.

Rebecca, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Combining artistry, style, and sustainability, R E G E N E R A T E D transforms vintage, dead-stock, and pre-worn clothing into new garments. Launched in 2020 by designer-artist Rebecca Chamberlain, the New York State-based label reimagines wardrobe staples such as denim and classic shirting, offering unique, functional garments for all genders in a range of sizes. Many Regenerated pieces are unisex and all are ageless in spirit. Carefully constructed using the highest quality repurposed fabrics, each Regenerated garment is both durable and refined, connected to the past and relevant to the current moment, and truly one-of-a-kind. For Regenerated, the production process is important as the design process—in fact, the two are intertwined. The global garment industry creates approximately 120 billion items of clothing annually, much of it destined for landfills within the first year of purchase. This is simply not sustainable. Conscious of fashion’s impact on the environment, Regenerated is one of a growing number of labels dedicated to changing the way clothing is produced and consumed by embracing upcycling. Chamberlain expertly selects high-quality recycled goods from thrift stores, vintage shops, and military uniform dealers throughout New York State and the Northeast to create small series of related styles, locally and by hand, and often in consultation with her customers.
Regenerated is a woman-owned business committed to building opportunities for other women. Through a partnership with Custom Collaborative, a New York City–based workforce development program that provides training and support to women from low-income and immigrant communities to begin careers in the fashion industry, Regenerated has employed and mentored three Custom Collaborative–trained seamstresses, all of whom earn a living wage in a safe and supportive environment.
Trained as an artist, Regenerated founder Rebecca Chamberlain has a deep knowledge of the history of modern art, architecture, and design and an appreciation for well-crafted objects. As a fashion professional, she has decades of experience designing successful collections for major brands. The Regenerated label merges Chamberlain’s reverence for artistry and intuitive understanding of what people want to wear right now—distinctive designs that are sustainably made.
Do you have items of clothing that need a new home? Are you interested in contributing to the Regenerated web? We love receiving donations to make new pieces in the future. Contact us at [email protected] to get started.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I am exploring a new way to make garments and wardrobes for people. Through Chamberlain REGENERATED, I am traversing new ways to source materials, I am able to take in ‘estates’ of clothing from people who have lost someone close to them and assure them that the garments will be attentively reformed for a second life.
To produce the garments (disassembly as well as stitching and construction) I get to work with a beautiful non-for profit called Custom Collaborative. They train and support to women from low-income and immigrant communities to begin careers in the fashion industry. I am in awe of the women I work with. They are balancing living in New York City with having children while simultaneously growing their own careers. They truly support me.
To sell the garments i’ve ebbed and flowed between direct to consumer sales via Instagram and other Social media platforms, the web store (regenerated.shop) and brick and mortar locations and pop-ups. Exactly a year ago, I landed in Shop Collective (105 Broadway, Williamsburg BK). We have grown to an 7 woman collective of small businesses working in one beautiful street level loft space. We work as a true collective, taking turns running the shop. Each of us contributes our own specialties to the business and it truly feels like ‘home’.
The way the business is working thus far feels holistic, slow and purposeful.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Still the biggest pivot of my life, happened early on, at 17 yrs old. I was on the road to becoming a professional ballerina. Physical injuries merged with depression and anxiety to create a perfect storm. It took me a year and a half to admit defeat. Embarrassed and guilty about the time and effort my family had spent on my behalf, I wrote and illustrated a small book about what I was going through. This lead to my father (an artist himself) helping me develop a portfolio for art school applications. Eventually, I landed at RISD, where I assumed I’d go into painting, but my ties to the human form and interest in style and history lead me in to the apparel design program.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://regenerated.shop/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r_e_g_e_n_e_r_a_t_e_d/
• Other: https://www.rebecca-chamberlain.com/

Image Credits
Portrait of Rebecca Chamberlain – Charlie Gross