Togo marks a historic milestone with its first-ever participation in the 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition, held from May 13 to November 9, 2025, at Triennale Milano, viale Emilio Alemagna 6, 20121, Milan. Curated by Studio NEiDA, the architectural installation Out of Fashion confronts the global crisis of fast-fashion waste and its profound social and environmental inequalities, spotlighting the impact of textile waste on African cities, particularly Lomé, Togo. This bold debut positions Togo as a critical voice in the global conversation on sustainability, design, and equity.
Out of Fashion is a striking architectural installation that addresses the consequences of the fast-fashion industry, which floods markets like Lomé’s Hedzranaowe Market with millions of discarded garments annually. This phenomenon, often described as “waste colonialism,” sees the Global North’s overproduction dumped onto the Global South, exacerbating environmental degradation and social inequities. The installation, crafted from denim jeans sourced directly from Lomé’s bustling market, transforms these discarded materials into a large-scale, undulating canvas dyed in indigo and suspended from the ceiling. The work challenges viewers to confront the afterlife of their clothing and the systemic overproduction fueling the crisis.
The installation draws inspiration from Lomé’s urban landscape, reshaped by the global garment trade, and highlights the ingenuity of local design practices that repurpose waste into functional and aesthetic creations. By showcasing Togo’s creative resilience, Out of Fashion critiques the wastefulness of unchecked consumption while celebrating the potential of design to address global challenges. The piece serves as both a critique of the fast-fashion industry and a call to action, urging designers, consumers, and policymakers to rethink the systems perpetuating waste and inequality.
The installation is a collaborative effort, with production overseen by Togolese fashion collective Atelier Lissanon and contributions from Marché Noir, a designer who transforms fashion waste into innovative creations. These partnerships underscore the installation’s commitment to amplifying local voices and practices. “We’re bringing the waste back to where it came from,” say curators Jeanne Autran-Edorh and Fabiola Büchele of Studio NEiDA. “This is pollution caused by the Global North but dumped on the Global South! This needs to stop. European fashion houses set trends, fast fashion copies, and waste colonialism thrives. This issue must be confronted in the industry’s epicenters like Milan. At the same time, we want to spotlight the creative ingenuity in Togo, where people transform this global injustice through ingenious design practices.”
Studio NEiDA: Bridging Continents and Disciplines
Studio NEiDA, co-founded by Togolese/French architect Jeanne Autran-Edorh and Austrian curator Fabiola Büchele, is an interdisciplinary practice based in Berlin and Lomé. With experience at renowned firms like Kéré Architecture, Jean Nouvel, and Herzog & de Meuron, as well as institutions like the Kamel Lazaar Foundation, the duo brings a global perspective to their work. Studio NEiDA is dedicated to equitable production, regenerative craftsmanship, and inclusive exchanges, making Out of Fashion a natural extension of their mission to create spaces that embrace multitudes and challenge systemic inequities.
The 24th Triennale Milano: A Platform for Addressing Inequalities
The 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition, themed Inequalities, explores the growing disparities in economic, ethnic, geographic, and gender spheres across contemporary cities and societies. Running through November 9, 2025, the exhibition features contributions from artists, designers, architects, collectives, and cultural institutions worldwide, all tasked with mapping inequalities and proposing innovative solutions for a more equitable future. Togo’s Out of Fashion stands as a powerful contribution to this dialogue, using design to highlight the intersection of environmental justice and global inequality.
Out of Fashion is more than an installation; it is the first step in a broader investigation into design’s potential to confront the fast-fashion waste crisis. By repurposing denim into a thought-provoking work of art, the installation invites reflection on how architecture and design can serve as agents of change, reconfiguring global systems to prioritize sustainability and equity. It challenges the fashion industry to take responsibility for its role in waste colonialism and encourages consumers to reconsider their consumption habits.
As the Triennale Milano continues to draw international audiences, Togo’s debut with Out of Fashion positions the nation as a vital contributor to the global design discourse. The installation not only critiques the destructive cycles of fast fashion but also celebrates the resilience and creativity of communities like Lomé’s, offering a vision for a future where design resolves, rather than perpetuates, global crises.
For more information on the 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition, visit www.triennale.org. To learn more about Studio NEiDA and their work, visit www.studioneida.com/ or follow their updates on social platforms.
