Haute Talk with Lana Garmo of In Two Minds | Upcyling, Curated clothing, and developing your own brand

Can fashion be both creative and sustainable, or are we still buying into fast fashion without realizing it?

In this episode of The Lexy Show, Lexy Silverstein sits down with Lana Garmo, founder of In Two Minds, an upcycled clothing brand transforming secondhand materials into one-of-a-kind fashion. Lana has built her business around the idea that great style doesn't have to come at the expense of the planet, proving that creativity and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Lexy and Lana dive into what it really takes to build a fashion brand rooted in circularity. They discuss sourcing secondhand textiles, the challenges of designing with limited materials, and why upcycling requires a completely different mindset than traditional fashion production. Lana also shares how she developed her signature aesthetic, the realities of running a sustainable small business, and why consumers have more power than they think when choosing where to shop. Whether you're interested in sustainable fashion, entrepreneurship, or simply making more intentional purchases, this conversation offers an honest look behind the scenes of the slow fashion movement.

Follow Lana and In Two Minds:
 📍 Instagram: @intwominds.co
 🌎 Website: https://intwominds.co

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet.

Transcript

lex-lana garmo

[00:00:00] Welcome to the Lexy Show

Welcome to the Lexi Show Fashion that gives a damn where we expose fast fashion and celebrate the brands and products actually making a difference for our planet. I'm Lexi Silverstein. Today I'm talking with Lana Garmo, owner of In Two Minds, a handpicked and upcycled clothing brand. If you're new here, head to lexi silverside.com for information on sustainable fashion and eco-conscious living.

And if you love what you hear, subscribe, share this episode. It helps more than you think. Lana, welcome. How are you doing? 

Hello, how are you? Good, how are you? I am great. Thanks so much for meeting with me today. Thank you for having me. Yeah, of course. . Okay. In two minds focused on upcycled and handpicked pieces, what was the moment that kind of inspired you to start this brand? So there wasn't really a definite moment where I said, okay, I am gonna start this shop or this brand.

It was always like naturally [00:01:00] with me, if that makes sense. Like when I went to school in college. I would say there's a blurry line. I just started, it, started a shop. No social media, just Depop and I didn't have iy, I had eBay and basically that's when I started because I fell in love with thrifting and so my wardrobe was just growing and I eventually had to get rid of some clothes and I just slowly began to get rid of some stuff.

And that's how it started, like in a very I don't know what's the word that I'm trying to say? An organic way. Like it was not, I didn't tell myself, Hey, I'm gonna start this thing and start selling and sewing and start this social media just started there because I needed it.

And I would say that's, yeah. Yeah. I feel like that's a very like. Like now, what's the word that I'm looking for? A very relatable. Way of starting something. I think it's really cool that it, it is what it is now from, selling on Depop. Yeah. That I think could also inspire many of people.

'cause I know there's [00:02:00] so many sellers on Depop and maybe all some of them are interested in growing what they're doing. Yeah, that's true. So can you walk us through your process of curating and upcycling your clothing? So my process again, like how when I was younger and it started natural for me to buy clothes for myself and I was exploring trends and then I discovered thrifting and then I realized, wow, I can get like mini items from the thrift store and try trends.

And then if I don't like them, I can just sell them. So the first process, which is like. Getting the, let's call them the products or the items or clothes already started for me, that was like already happening. That's the first step. So at first when I was younger, I would just get those clothes for myself and try them.

And over the [00:03:00] years. My collection grew so much. So I still thrift and I still source, of course, I think I advanced my ways of sourcing have advanced. They're not just in the thrift stores, but like I would drive and go to many locations at once just based on the day. And my system, I have a whole routine.

Thrift sometimes it's just tuesday, sometimes over the weekends. And then I also have my days where I'm just on my laptop all day long, just literally looking for the one word, like the one skirt that I want. Yeah, one style of skirt and like many variations. And I would just obsess over it and be on my laptop, like searching for that.

And many. Different platforms secondhand of course, just because, you need like multiple of that item for different people. So that's the first category, sourcing. And then the second one [00:04:00] which people like don't see, it's like cleaning the product or researching it. Like I don't want that smell.

I'm trying to like clean the product as much as I could. Being used and all. I really care about that. And then of course, like every item has a different process of cleaning. It depends if it's like a jacket or something, I can clean myself or take somewhere to professionally clean. And then researching the item just to see if they're like more valuable or less valuable than I had anticipated and. What else do I do? I record what I bought for how much, and then the listing begins, which involves me as a model. Like I'll get ready and then style, actually I style the day before, and then on shooting date, I will put on the outfits that I had prepared the day before a whole rack, and then.

I'll take like photos for three, four hours. I'll. Block three to four hours. [00:05:00] Sometimes it's a little bit more you never know, but I'll have a general like some time and I have to finish. Like I am a little bit strict with myself. Like I won't just go for six, seven hours of filming.

Sometimes I'll be like, okay, you are the boss of this little thing, like little whatever you wanna call it, brand company. So like I have to tell myself like, Hey, okay, stop now. Don't obsess. It's like at this point it's a waste of time. If you like redo the photos, like sometimes you have no choice.

Okay, let it go. You have that photo of the skirt or whatever, speaking of the skirt as an example. And then yeah, and then the posting happens, which I can go as deep as you want me to with the process, like even like posting, I'll make it like. As productive as possible. Like recently, I shared this online of when I post, like I don't wanna be just sitting down for hours in my chair.

Like I'll walk around my kitchen island and like post, because it's, it takes few hours for me to post. I like to do it in like [00:06:00] continuously in one day rather than posting today. And then. Posting tomorrow. As far as like product listings go on my website and Depop and other platforms.

Yeah. And honestly, my routine changes every time. My process changes every time. Like it's generally the same, but I'll make it a little bit more productive and efficient as I go. This is like my over two years of having the shop and social media, yeah, I built this routine and it was very small and simple and a little bit messy, and it's just getting better with time as I learn how I function and how to run the shop a little bit more efficiently.

That's so amazing. You're wearing so. Many hats. You're really good in it all. I think that's so commendable and amazing and just impressive. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. It's very rewarding. Super fun. I truly enjoy it. Good. Okay. Yeah. So where did the name in Two Minds come from? [00:07:00] The name, I love the name so much.

I feel like it's my baby that I like just connect to so much, especially that as we were speaking before, like English is not my first language. So words in general is like not my form of art. If you want me to draw or design, I'm comfortable with that. But speaking and it's a whole art by itself.

I think even if English was my first language, I would probably if this is my personality and English is my first language, I don't think language would be my. My way of expressing myself. So in two minds gives me the freedom to say that I'm this, but I'm also that I, I kind of function in two as in like as far as my languages, I think in Arabic, but I speak in English, I also work in English, and I, my videos are in English and it just, so it's that like duality idea of doing things in two, and also like my background and everything I learned in school, my degree in architecture. So [00:08:00] I like genuinely feel like an architect. But I'm doing this thing in clothes. I have to some people, it's not related to architecture, but to me, it is, but at the same time it's two things, if that makes sense. And even within what I do I also consider myself having two jobs of running the shop, which is like a whole different world from Yeah. Like sewing and upcycling, like those are two separate things for me. So that's where like the two comes from.

I'm always in two minds, if that makes sense. I'll switch up. Yeah. Yeah,

I think that's like what we were just saying, like you wear a lot of hats. It's like it makes so much I love that name. It's so fun. So I think sustainability, often invo involves challenging the norms of the fashion industry. I think our fashion industry is really, big on fast fashion right now, and micro trends and all those things.

So what has been some of the biggest challenges that you faced in this, sustainability [00:09:00] journey and maybe even making this company and how did you overcome them? As far as like challenges and sustainability, that's always gonna be a challenge. It's like really hard. I always, I like shouldn't say that, but I always say I'm one person.

I hope I'm. Influencing the world in some way to love. In my definition, sustainability is thrifting. That's what I'm doing right now as far as sustainability. Is that because I love clothes and I overdo it. Like I buy so much clothes. I try to do it with, fashion thrifting.

So I guess the biggest challenge is to really just inspire people to thrift, like when social media, is huge and is telling us to buy this and that, and trends are endless. The challenge is not to stop people from buying clothes, but at least to try those trends that are happening on social media through [00:10:00] thrifting because it's so possible to try whatever trend you can name right now, like the majority of them exist in the thrift store. So I guess the challenge is to really just educate people that thrifting is cool and not so gross. Or even if the clothes are flawed or have a stain or a little hole, I think it's just.

To like really redirect and shift people's minds to not try fast fashion or immediately jump and buy a trend, but to try it. And it's hard because I'm, I'm trying on a very small scale. I'm still growing. But yeah I would say that's one of them, at least one of the challenges. Yeah. Yeah.

Completely. I've had someone message me about that before and they were like, I like hate the idea of wearing something that's already been rewar or already been worn. What do I do about how do I be sustainable if [00:11:00] I don't wanna do that? And every single suggestion I gave them, they came back with another like con of whatever this was.

And I was like, okay, you know what, i've given you a bunch of examples of how we can be sustainable. I'm encouraging you to try in whatever way that is. But maybe this one's just not for you, yeah. No, I get it. Totally. Like my parents didn't understand that. Especially me shifting from architecture to now, thrifting and then like when I explain what thrifting.

Means as in used clothes or, I don't know, like they didn't get it at first, but that was another challenge to like older people. Yeah. Like my parents. That was my challenge to, to make them understand that it's actually a very good thing and my mom is very fashionable so she immediately loved it.

Like I showed her that it can be done. Like it can still be fashionable. Yeah. With thrifting and [00:12:00] yeah, that's the same with my mom. She's a very fashionable lady and really when I got into sustainability, she got into sustainability and now we both are little sustainable fashion divas. But I love it. I do think having those conversations, I mean with an older crowd, with whoever it might be like sometimes I think you're gonna find people that.

Or just really not open to it. But even just having the conversation I think gets subconsciously gets in their head about it. Because I'm like, that's the other thing if we don't talk about thrifting is necessarily like the sustainability aspect of it, but we're just like, oh, it's really trendy to thrift right now. Ah, I should go thrifting, and then it just becomes like more practice. I think that's another way of just like the way that we go about storytelling, sustainability, but as someone who has worked [00:13:00] in a retail store in like high school and I'm like, people try on those clothes all the time.

And we don't. Yes. And like I get like you're not necessarily, running miles or marathons or going out to the club in these pieces and then gifting them to a goodwill where someone else might wear them. But I'm like. Is this what a washer dryer is for? That's what you're singing is for like you can wash it guys.

It's okay. Yeah. No, totally. I just, I don't really think about it. Like I yeah. But you're right. Yeah. And those things won't last anyway. The like, fast fashion, that's a different topic, but yeah. Tell, and malls. I also worked in a mall, like a, as a younger person in high school.

Yeah. Yeah. Sorry, I don't know where I was going with that. Now my thoughts are floating in the air. No, I love it. On that note, I think we've talked a little about what the consumer and individual can do in being more sustainable, but how do you [00:14:00] think the traditional fashion industry needs to change too?

Become more sustainable. And what role do you see like independent brands, like into minds playing in that shift? That's, yeah, that is so hard and just the in major thought that I think about all the time. But at the same time did I, can I find a solution for it? No. But I don't know.

Everything is so fast and. Now that I do what I do, I can see how extremely slow i'm compared to them. I will make one bag, this cow hide bag that I've been obsessing over just like making these cow hide. Bags these days, and I'll take one whole day to make one bag. And I think, wow, some companies probably made like thousands of pieces while I'm making the one.

So I don't know what the point of that [00:15:00] is. It's just like hard to fathom the speed of how people make clothes. And I think I don't know. I feel like I'm not the person to I, I don't know much about sustainability and fashion. Like when I studied architecture, we also focused on sustainability.

And I know that the way to solve things in architecture at least, is not just to put like a grass roof on a building because that's just like a little superficial thing. And also, it's not like for the consumer. To stop using straws and that's just gonna make you sustainable. Like what I'm trying to say, it's not it's not the small things.

It's a whole system. That needs to be changed from the root. And like it's a large scale that I personally dunno how to control or my brand. So I don't know. It starts with awareness. It starts with the users. Like the things that are made are already are, they're already made the fast fashion and clothes are already made.

I [00:16:00] guess it just starts with education and awareness and then things will slow down from there. I don't know if it's the companies right now to like, like we can't just stop everything all at once. Right now, I guess it starts with us, the users and to know and to educate ourselves and about how these companies are going about producing thousands and thousand, thousands of pieces a day and then.

So it's, I don't know. It, I think it's about it. It's all about us. And what was I gonna say? Sorry. This is like a very, my thoughts are like going all over the place. I can feel my answer being so messy right now. But when it comes to me I guess this is what I can answer a little better because it's hard for me to fathom.

The processes of bigger companies in fast fashion, but when it comes to me and sustainability, I feel like I can only I can only try my best to do my part, and that's not just me using used material to sew or upcycle. But also like I also pay attention to how I package and ship things so [00:17:00] far for about over to two years of me running the shop.

I don't remember myself like purchasing any new, like paper or plastic craps or anything. And I always, with every single order, I like wrap my clothes and then send them out. So what I've been using is literally. Like paper and plastic that I find around the house. If my husband and I don't know, will buy like something from.

I don't know, Costco, is that a good example? Like any box or anything that we need for the house, I will literally break the box apart and find a way to use it to package my clothes. So I never needed to use one single new plastic piece or a paper because I always find paper everywhere. And I'll find a way to like.

Decorate it or cover the text or something to send out with my order. So I like as [00:18:00] just, me as a single person and my brand, I try my best and I don't even know if I'm doing at all, but I'm really trying my best to do my part as far as how I can inspire and shift the mentality when it comes to sustainability.

But. Yeah, there's so much more to learn and to do better. Of course. I think that's amazing and I think a lot of the things you mentioned are like the things that more people should be practicing. I think it's important to look at the. The packages, and even just again, as an individual, like you were saying, if there's a box in your house, find a way to repurpose it if there's, I feel like a big one for me is like the jars that like my skincare comes in or like stuff like that where I'm just like, I feel really silly getting rid of this like container that I could definitely use again.

'cause it's literally like a gorgeous glass [00:19:00] container. And so finding ways of repurposing, things like that, and then if you have a company like doing that within your brand is amazing. And also what you're doing of if. We already have so many clothes that are out there, so might as well, or not even clothes, but just like textiles fabrics might as well use what's already out there and repurpose it into something new that someone else is gonna wear.

And I think that is really important in, in general, but also just important in changing a consumer and individual's mindset on how we look at things. And you said it best like slowing down, like that's something that. I have been just doing so much of lately where it's like.

If I really want something, I will wait like months to buy it. And if it's still there then I'll, then I'm okay. Then I can buy it. If it's still there and I still want it months later and I'm still thinking about it, I can go back and I can buy it. Yes. I love that role. I think about it as well.

Yeah. That's a very good one. [00:20:00] Slowing down. It's really important. So what role do you think social media plays in how you communicate your brand's message? If someone were to come onto your page, what would you want them to take away? I love social media and like the positive side of it.

I think I learn so much from social media that I don't think. It would've been possible at least for me, like personally, I think it was it's very useful. What I want people to take away is first of all, like anything and everything is possible. Like you can be fashionable in your own way.

And the most important thing is that like you can make things work, whatever is like flawed or. You can make anything work like a cow hide rug. You can, I don't know, make something out of it before. It's like going to for example, before I sounds so like I'm talking about nonsense. The ka hide rug that I thrifted, it was like flawed and stained on the back.

And it had some bold patches and I honestly, I don't know where, what kind of life it would've had. But it was so cheap and I made so many bags from it. And I also made like videos and tutorials and I'm very proud of that I enjoyed so much and people also enjoyed just as much. So it was super rewarding.

So it, that's what I want people to take away is that you can have fun. You can like if you love fashion, if you wanna, sorry, I feel like I wanna like rephrase what I'm trying to say. What I'm trying to say. Thinks that you think is just a thing like a rug, you can make it work and turn it into something.

Yeah. Like for example, I love fashion, so I'm [00:21:00] turning a cow hide. Rug into purses because I wanted a cow hide rug. Like I will turn any objects that you think are just random OB objects that you might like, just throw in the trash. Like a little silver ring that comes from, I don't know a top that you're about to like, sell or get rid of.

I will take that ring and make it work as a broach or a necklace. So what I'm trying to say is that. Don't throw away things like have less trash, and make something out of it. And I don't know. I also can't say no to not just trends, but you know how like people say I'll have they have like fashion eggs or things that they don't love.

I think there's a way to make the thing that you don't love work whether it's a trend or. Or something flawed. I really focus on flaws and like fixing problems. I guess it comes from like my architecture background. If I am driving and looking at a house I'll ask myself like, what do, why do I not like this house?

And then [00:22:00] before I judge so much, I like think, how can I fix this house? Is it the window for me? Is it the ratio with the windows to the doors or is it the material? Is it really just the color that's distracting everything? And I think. I'm exactly the same way without people, I don't think people know this, but I'll look at a skirt and we'll say, this skirt is okay, how can I style it and how can I make it better with sewing?

And I think that's what I want people to know, that you can make things work even if if you don't like your style, there's a way to make it work for your own style. And yeah. Yeah. No, completely. I think it's, again, not even just shifting your mindset about slowing down and sustainability, but shifting your mindset about how you view your clothes.

And how you view, not even just clothes, but anything. I think that is great. Yeah, if you're getting rid of a piece, is there a way that. Maybe you can style. That's something that I'll do, I feel like, is I'll try to style something before I get rid of it, and then if I really can't style it, then I'm like, okay, now I feel happy.

[00:23:00] Selling this on Depop or giving it to a friend or something like that. Yeah, like when you maximize the potential use Yeah. Thing like you've literally. Exhausted all the options for styling it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I love that feeling. Yeah. But upcycling things, turning them into to, maybe there's something you like, but there you like, like the fabric and the pattern, but you don't like the silhouette of the piece and learning how to style or sew so that it turns into something that you will actually wear.

I think is a really amazing skill to have. That was something that during COVID, I would look at my closet and I would turn half the stuff in there into other tops. And mind you, I'm not a very good sour, so the pieces were not. Really put together well. But no, that's how it, that's how it should, yeah.

It was a good practice of Yeah, exactly. Seeing those things differently. And now even [00:24:00] like when I'm not necessarily sewing something, but I'm looking at my closet and I'm like how can I turn this skirt into, a dress? Or how can I turn this into a top? Or how can I wear this jacket a different way or do this, or what can I add to it?

And I think that. Is what makes fashion so fun is like the creative aspect, like getting fun with it. Seeing what what leads you to, your final outfit. Yeah, exactly. And there's no stopping because I don't know the Sure. Or whatever you made that is probably messed up or not to your liking.

You can so go over it and fix it like you can just. Keep going. Yeah. Until it's something you love. Yeah, exactly. I always like to end my podcast on what are your top rapid fire tips, which I feel like we've gone over some. But for someone who is starting their journey to a more sustainable lifestyle like just specifically a sustainable lifestyle or not starting a shop or social media, honestly, anything. What, any of those work. Those are good. This is gonna sound cliche, but it's literally just starting. Even if you're doing something [00:25:00] else with your life right now, I think it's nice to like, to just plant the seeds. So yeah, you just start and you can't have your brain make up excuses because. You'll literally have excuses every single day. You'll think tomorrow is the perfect day to start, but there's no such thing I had to let go of perfectionism. That's why I'm here.

I think if I'm, if I let my perfectionism roll, then roll my life, then I don't think I would've been here. To start right now, I don't care if you're busy or if you're. Whatever excuse you have one step at a time and let go of perfectionism and you cannot wait until you have the perfect material or the perfect sewing machine or the perfect, I don't know, outfit to, whether it's social media.

You wanna start and you wanna, be in front of the camera. You just can't. Wait until the perfect moment. You just have to, again, I'm myself repetitive, start let go of excuses and perfectionism [00:26:00] and I would say that's it. And, but I feel like I'm not focusing on the sustainability when I'm answering this question.

Oh, that's okay. I love that advice. I think that it applies to sustainability too. Like just I guess trying through, through thrifting. That's at least how I started, like to explore your fashion and your style. Just try thrifting and like you'll find what you like and that's a huge part.

If you just do that as far as like fashion, if you thrift and replace your, at least let's start with some of your close with throat to close. You're gonna have a huge role in again, back to that question about how to. Influence bigger companies and fast fashion. I think it starts with one person switching from buying fast fashion to a little bit of, thrifting, incorporating thrifting.

Then that's gonna be a huge role in the long run as a bigger scale. Yeah, that's completely. I love it. Those are great tips. Thank you so much for coming on and chatting with me today. Where can people find you on social media or anywhere else? Thanks Lexi. Thanks for [00:27:00] having me.

I am on Instagram with Lana and TikTok as well as with Lana with underscore Lana. Yay. Everyone go check out. Lana. Thank you so much again for coming on and chatting with me today. It was so great speaking with you. That's it for this week's episode of the Lexi Show Fashion. That gives a damn big thanks to Lana for showing us how to incorporate upcycling in conscious fashion into our lives. Whether it's fashion or everyday products, this is how sustainability should work. If the conversation resonated with you, subscribe so you don't miss an episode.

Leave a review and share this with someone who needs to hear it. Head to lexi silverstein.com for more content. Sustainable style and conscious consumption. And follow me on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube at Lexi Stein. That's LEXY, Silverlake of color, STAN. Remember to live a good life and look fucking good doing it and demand better from brands in your closet and everywhere else.

See you next week.