Salford fashion student showcases sustainable design on Amazon Prime series

A University of Salford fashion design student has gained national attention after appearing in a new Amazon Prime reality series focused on sustainability in fashion.

Alejandro Codes, 28, features in RE/style, a six-part competition produced in partnership with the second-hand clothing marketplace Vinted. The show, hosted by television presenter and former model Emma Willis, challenges eight emerging designers to create original looks each week using only pre-owned garments.

Filmed over two weeks in London earlier this year, the series premiered on 13 October. Codes, who is currently completing his master’s degree in Fashion Design at Salford, impressed the judges early on by winning the first week’s challenge with a leather and tulle dress embellished with hand-sewn red details. He later contributed to the winning collection featured at Oxfam’s London Fashion Week show.

Codes said the experience has influenced the direction of his career, encouraging him to focus on sustainable design.

“It’s made me realise that there’s already so much fashion out there,” he said. “As designers, we can find creative ways to use what exists and reduce waste. I’m really passionate about transforming second-hand garments and exploring new technologies for sustainable fashion.”

Each episode required contestants to complete their designs within six hours, often without knowing the materials they would use in advance. “The time frame definitely made it difficult,” Codes said. “Some sewing tasks were so demanding I broke six needles on one garment.”

The show also features guest appearances from figures across the fashion and entertainment industries, including stylists Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe and Zadrian Smith, designer Henry Holland, and broadcasters Stacey Dooley, Clara Amfo and Laura Whitmore.

Reflecting on the experience, Codes described the cast as “a little fashion family,” adding that they continue to support one another’s work.

RE/style is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.