WASTE IS PRIVILEGE 2025​

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tHERAPY Recycle & Exorcise Presented an Upcycled Capsule Collections at the Finale of the Upcycling Drag Competition Berlin's Next Top Quing at the legendary SO36 Club in Berlin​

 

About the capsule

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Every garment on the runway—crafted from a donated wedding dress and donated curtains from neighbours, second hand duvets, vintage tablecloths, rescued underwear, parts of shoes, and more—once lived a discarded life. Some materials traveled from closed shoe factories in Argentina; others were donated by neighbors in Berlin.

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With this capsule we once again aim to transform not only fabric but also meaning, by reclaiming what society rejects, giving each piece a second life, a second identity, and a second narrative.

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Upcycling is part of our lineage. Our grandmother, who did not know the word “upcycling,” practiced it daily out of necessity. we learned next to her. 

Today, we use that inherited creativity to confront the opposite problem—overconsumption and systemic waste.

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This collection challenges beauty norms and critiques a system that discards both objects and people. In every stitch, we invite audiences to reconsider what we call “trash” and recognise the privilege embedded within waste.

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Context and presentation of the capsule collection

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On the night of the Grand Finale of Berlin’s Next Top Quing, held at the legendary SO36 club in Kreuzberg on December 3rd, 2025, Berlin based independent fashion labels—tHERAPY Recycle & Exorcise and FADE OUT Label—were inited to showcase in an exclusive exclusive preview upcycling capsule collections in a politically charged celebration of drag, transformation, and circular fashion.

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The event was organized by Queerberg Collective, a migrant-led association of Refugee & Drag Quings including BIPOC, Sex Workers, Trans & Queer artists, who champion community, empowerment, performance, and visibility. Since 2024, tHERAPY Recycle & Exorcise has supported the competition by offering prizes to semifinalists, reinforcing their commitment to uplifting marginalized creative talent.

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Each brand presented a runway with five performers, five looks, and a unique artistic narrative woven between the show's drag performance categories. The quings walking for the brands were @juicycaaa, @bellafromberlin, @reflektra, @toylettepaypr and @queenjustmean

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The collection was featured on Pap Korea Magazine and Feroce Magazine