Introducing the Reform Lab: An Inside Look at Circular Fashion with VLACKBOOK’s Jesus Pineda
- Ellen J
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 minutes ago
What do you get when you mix fashion’s future with yesterday’s leftovers? You get Reform Lab - Indie Identity’s new platform for reinvented fashion. Launching with a bold, zero-waste capsule by Miami-based designer Jesus Pineda of VLACKBOOK, this is reinvention done right. No landfill guilt. No fast fashion fatigue. Just vision, and very wearable art.
Pineda doesn’t do basics. His label VLACKBOOK turns deadstock, thrifted finds, and recycled fabrics into freakishly cool, one-of-one pieces that serve editorial edge with post-capitalist soul. We caught up with Jesus to talk all things stitched, salvaged, and seriously statement-making.
Worn Once, Reborn Forever
With a client list that includes music artists like singer Maya Azucena and on-set stylists, VLACKBOOK is already low-key cult. But this partnership with Reform Lab is a new kind of statement, one that says circular fashion can be aspirational, directional, and completely non-basic. “To me, circular fashion is about rethinking the lifecycle of garments and materials,” he says. “Creating a system where nothing goes to waste, and everything is reused, recycled, or repurposed.”
But circular fashion isn’t just a concept; it’s the whole VLACKBOOK ethos. Pineda sources discarded denim, thrifted shirts, and leftover development scraps from swap meets and local textile heroes. Then he tears them down and builds them back better—Frankensteining texture, history, and chaos into one-of-a-kind looks that feel equal parts streetwear, sculpture, and social statement. But where does he even begin once he’s acquired his fabrics?
“I decide on what to use based on the vibe I’m going for in the final piece”, Jesus explains. “I choose materials based on how they feel in the moment and what kind of effect I want to achieve. For instance, if I want a flowing, soft garment, I’ll lean toward lighter, more delicate fabrics. But if I’m designing something structured, I’ll turn to heavier materials like denim or jackets, which have more substance and shape.”
Photo by Thibault Villeneuve, 2025.
“Next, I deconstruct the garments I’ve selected, whether that means cutting them into smaller pieces to combine later, or directly creating a patchwork fabric from multiple items. This step is where the design starts to take shape. I pull these pieces together, each with its own history, and begin to build something new out of them.”
“Each garment I create is entirely one of a kind. Since everything is based on the unique combination of materials, no two pieces will ever be the same. The process is highly intuitive, and the final piece reflects the individuality of both the materials and the design.”
If You Can’t Buy it, DIY It
It’s a personal mission rooted in his own journey. “I didn’t always have the means to buy new clothes growing up”, Jesus says. “So, I started making what I had into something unique. It was about survival and expression.” That DIY mindset grew into a bold design philosophy influenced by Margiela, Junya Watanabe, and Rei Kawakubo - icons of reinvention who saw art where others saw waste.
In one standout piece, he turned the hems of old jeans (yep, just the hems) into a pleated mini skirt dripping with raw edges and real attitude. “The pleats lay on top of each other with the threads exposed,” he enthuses. “The natural wear on the denim, combined with the exposed threads, created an edgy, yet refined aesthetic. It was one of those designs where the material really guided the creative direction.”
Photography by Thibault Villeneuve, 2025.
And as for partnering up with us, the Reform Lab collab wasn’t just a cute match, it was destiny. “Our philosophies align so closely,” Jesus explains. “Reimagining and bringing forgotten pieces back to life is at the core of what I do… using discarded or overlooked materials and transforming them into something intentional, wearable, and expressive. Platforms like Reform Lab are essential because they bring visibility to circular fashion in a way that feels fresh, relevant, and accessible.”
Bold Looks, Big Purpose
But don’t let the earth-friendly talk fool you into thinking this is all beige basics and hemp sacks. VLACKBOOK’s designs are wearable drama, cut for the brave and sewn for the bold. “I want people to see that fashion can be deeply personal,” Pineda says. “Each piece is unique, just like the person wearing it… It’s not just about clothes, it’s about intention, individuality, and connection.”
Photo by Thibault Villeneuve, 2025.
And if you think sustainability isn’t sexy, or that upcycled fashion is ‘lazy’, wait until you see his twisted scrap tops, or the vest he created for artist Maffio’s music video. It was painstakingly stitched with 200 individual vintage buttons sewn onto a denim shirt that he repurposed into a three-piece suit vest.
What does he hope to inspire through his imaginative, outré creations and approach to sustainability? “Through VLACKBOOK, I’m shaping that future by designing pieces that challenge mass production and instead celebrate uniqueness, intention, and longevity. If I can get people to not just wear my work but feel the story, the care, and the purpose behind it, then I know I’m helping move circular fashion forward in my own way.”
So what’s next? More mess, more magic, and more fashion with a soul. “I want to build a world where people see value in individuality, imperfection, and process… If I can get people to not just wear my work but feel the story, the care, and the purpose behind it, then I know I’m helping move circular fashion forward.”
