At Want Show Cleaners in Taiwan, the third-generation owner has taken the clothes that people have forgotten to pick up over the years and made fashionable retro outfits for his grandparents out of them, growing a huge following on Instagram. For many years, the brand has devotedly promoted the value of old clothes and concern for the elderly.

Studies show that in Taiwan 1 in every 12 people between 60 and 70 years old has dementia, and the condition is gradually growing more common. In the future, everyone throughout society is likely to have some connection with dementia. Yet most young people have no understanding of the condition.?

Our goal was to make the young generation care about and understand dementia.

Taiwan is soon to become a super-aged society. How will it handle the problems that the elderly face and foster relations between the young and the old? These questions have become crucial issues of Taiwanese society.

REmemory is a fashion brand created from second-hand clothing. It not only led many people to care about dementia, but also helped young people and the elderly to find a common topic of conversion. Taiwan Alzheimer Disease Association Secretary-General Tang Li-yu says: “Old people actually possess many treasures we don’t imagine. It’s just that we don’t talk with them and discover what they have.” Many people on the internet have responded to this work by saying that after they saw it, they realized they should go back home and spend more time talking with their older relatives.

We created a completely new fashion brand, using forgotten clothes to support those who are forgetting. All the brand’s items are forgotten clothes from dry cleaners all over Taiwan. These misplaced outfits with a vibe from yesteryear have formed a retro style that’s fashionable today. People living with dementia serve as the brand’s models, and in so doing, they have gained their own voice. All profits from clothing sales are donated to the Taiwan Alzheimer Disease Association, truly using lost clothes to support those who are losing their memories.

Nearly 90% of Taiwanese people have heard of dementia, but the vast majority cannot correctly recognize the ten major warning signs of dementia. The group that understands dementia least of all is people aged 18 to 39.

To get young people to pay attention to dementia, our strategy was to gain a presence in their world.

In the process of creating a fashion brand, this originally somber societal issue became a trending topic that young people pay attention to. Meanwhile, our e-commerce platform and Instagram became the main platforms for content.

We gathered forgotten clothes from dry cleaners all over Taiwan. Then we invited people with dementia to be models. We produced a concept film, developed key visuals, and held a news conference, launching a new fashion brand: REmemory.

The brand started an official Instagram account and an online store. Every single item represents a story of an elderly person with dementia. Just by shopping online, anyone can gain an initial understanding of dementia. And in response to online requests, we set up an offline store in an area where young people hang out. Finally, we joined forces with the online learning platform Hahow, offering an in-depth course for those who want to know more.

REmemory was an Autumn/Winter limited-release public service fashion brand running from November to December, 2021. We used forgotten clothes to support those who are forgetting, so more people can care about and understand this issue.

The campaign was covered by many top-tier media outlets in Taiwan, and it received a special report in the prestigious cultural magazine Verse.

The power of fashion helped shatter people’s stereotypes of dementia and shorten the distance between young people and those elderly persons who live with it. They have seen the brand make good use of the value of old clothes and create greater possibilities for virtuous cycles in society.

Media Coverage Growth: 190%+

Engagement grew 69,627 times

93.3% Favorability among Young People