Politecnico di Milano students create upcycled Volvo capsule collection

Twenty design students from the Politecnico di Milano have developed a capsule collection utilizing upcycled materials recovered from Volvo vehicles, culminating in a presentation scheduled for September 22 at Volvo Studio Milano during Milan Fashion Week. Launched in March in collaboration with print laboratory VerySeri Studio and creative group Collettivo AAA, the initiative titled "The Daily Crash" structured a multi-month project around direct material experimentation. Rather than working through standard theoretical briefs, the participating students completed six instructional phases—encompassing professional reviews, technical lectures, and hands-on laboratory work—to transform automotive scrap into structural garments and objects.

The operational framework relied on using Volvo Studio Milano as an open workshop space and Cascina Cuccagna’s VerySeri Studio for physical garment production. Guided by industry specialists including stylists, set designers, and sound artists, the cohort produced five primary garments designed to be showcased alongside an immersive performance installation. The final collection explores five stages of physical impact and recovery, mirroring automotive crash-test protocols and technical safety testing. The initiative directly integrates salvaged industrial components into high-fashion design, requiring students to solve structural and tactile challenges inherent to non-traditional textiles.

From an educational standpoint, the partnership addresses a persistent structural gap between academic coursework and the operational demands of the fashion industry. By replacing simulated briefs with tangible production constraints, real material sourcing, and public presentation deadlines, the initiative offers a scalable model for experiential learning. Furthermore, anchoring student output in automotive waste directly reflects the shifting demands of modern fashion curricula, which increasingly prioritize material circularity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world supply chain problem-solving.