As a child, one of my earliest memories involves sneaking into my mother’s wardrobe with my sister to play dress-up. The thrill of wearing her clothes, shoes, and accessories made us feel grown-up and glamorous. Despite being caught by our mother, she was more amused than angry, and some of her items eventually found their way into our dressing-up box. This experience sparked a lifelong love of fashion and a special bond between generations in my family.
Fast forward to the present day, and now it’s my mother who raids my wardrobe, taking advantage of the fact that my sister and I work in the fashion industry. I have passed on countless clothing items to her as she has shrunk into the sample size I used to be. It’s a joy to see her enjoy these pieces and feel stylish and confident in them. In fact, for Christmas a few years ago, I gifted her a designer handbag, which she cherishes to this day.
The cycle continues with my own teenage daughters, who have started borrowing clothes from both me and their grandmother. It’s heartwarming to see them wear pieces that hold sentimental value, whether it’s a skirt from my youth or a vintage find from their grandmother’s wardrobe. The connection that comes from sharing and re-wearing these garments is truly special, bridging the generation gap and creating a sense of unity and nostalgia.
This sense of intergenerational connection is beautifully captured in designer Edeline Lee’s A/W24 campaign, which features mothers and daughters modeling her new collection. The campaign includes a diverse range of mother-daughter duos, showcasing the bond that comes from sharing fashion and style across generations. Seeing these pairs dressed in Lee’s designs evokes a sense of warmth and togetherness, highlighting the timeless appeal of well-crafted clothing.
For Lee, the idea of bringing mothers and daughters together for the campaign stemmed from her own experiences of altering her mother’s clothes as a teenager. She understands the emotional significance of sharing clothing between generations and wanted to celebrate that in her work. The response to the campaign has been overwhelmingly positive, with clients appreciating the genuine emotion and connection portrayed in the photographs.
As a participant in the campaign with my own daughter, I felt a sense of pride and joy in seeing her wear the designer’s creations. The experience of choosing a piece to take home as a thank-you gift was a special moment, as I imagined the possibility of borrowing it myself in the future. The bond created through fashion and style is a powerful one, transcending time and age to create lasting memories and connections within families.
In conclusion, the act of sharing and re-wearing clothing between generations is a meaningful tradition that fosters a sense of unity and connection. Whether it’s raiding a mother’s wardrobe as a child, passing on cherished pieces to a parent, or sharing clothes with a daughter, the bond created through fashion is a timeless and special one. As we continue to celebrate the beauty of intergenerational style, we honor the memories and relationships that make fashion more than just clothing—it’s a way to connect and express love across generations.
