Perth creator teams up with Levi’s and Depop

Perth-raised Tanzyn Crawford is breathing new life into old clothes in a first-of-its-kind initiative on Aussie shores.

The 20-year-old, who is studying screen acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, has teamed up with beloved denim brand Levi’s and Gen Z favourite marketplace Depop to encourage more sustainable fashion consumption.

Crawford, who goes by the moniker Premium Zoo on social media, is one of only three Depop creators authorised to resell unique upcycled Levi’s vintage garments — with customers all over the world wanting to get their hands on her brightly coloured tie-dyed, patchwork and hand-painted designs.

Her hand-painted jeans take hours to create and are so popular, she can’t keep up with demand.

“I get at least 10 messages a day from people being like, ‘can I buy a pair of jeans, can you customise those?’,” Crawford told AAA.

Since she started selling vintage and upcycled clothes a few years ago, her online shop has gained a 10,000 strong following, and continues to grow.

“I originally just started by selling clothes that I had,” she said.

“In my early teens … I’d buy a few new things every week from fast fashion brands.

“As I moved into my later teens, I still had all these pieces of clothing because I thought ‘if I just get rid of these, they are probably going to go on landfill. I’ll just keep them sitting around’, and that’s when I started upcycling things.”

She said it was exciting to see global companies like Levi’s and Depop set an example for consumers becoming more eco-conscious.

“I think both brands are really aiming towards a circular economy of clothing production. And I’m just so happy that I can be part of it,” she said.