Prolong – design-led sustainable fashion

The brainchild of Lucia Gasparidesova, a designer and maker based in Aberdeen and originally from Slovakia, Prolong gives a second life to forgotten items of clothing while maintaining a clean supply chain.

After moving to Scotland, Lucia began to reconsider her values towards fashion and the environmental damage caused by the industry. Discovering upcycling allowed Lucia to combat these issues by immersing herself in deconstructing unwanted clothing from charity stores and recreating a brand new design with a new purpose.

Lucia has been streamlining her business by taking part in the inaugural RGU Creative Accelerator, a 12-week programme which was set up to support and fund start-up teams in Scotland in a range of creative industries.

“It has been an eye-opening course which I am very grateful for,” Lucia commented.

“All of the sessions were very well presented and kept me very motivated to stay on top of it throughout the whole time. I gained so much clarity. The modules brought transparency about the key components that are vital when it comes to running your own business. And I wasn’t necessarily aware of more than half of them. 

“I absolutely loved sessions with other artists who presented their work and their own story. I think it’s very valuable to hear them because it’s right from the business field and it’s very much hands-on.”

Lucia believes that initiatives such as the RGU Creative Accelerator are hugely valuable for helping to develop the creative economy in the North-east.

“I definitely think it’s vital for start-up businesses to have these “incubators” where all the important information can be provided + mentoring.

“I loved how casual it was as well and I felt the love with the whole team very easily. Creative Accelerator was a very playful but challenging course where I went out of comfort zone in order to know myself as an individual in deeper sense. And that’s super important when running your own business.”

The tools, skills and knowledge which Lucia has learned on the programme are helping her to bring her business to the next level.

“At the moment I’m preparing a collection for an exhibition that I’ve been invited to in Slovakia. I’ve always wanted to present my brand back home so it’s a little dream come true. And I’ve planned some brand new collaborations with the local businesses in Aberdeen where I will be introducing some brand new type of products so I am very excited about it.”