DIY 2026 Rebrand: Your Fibre Arts Personality

Updated Published

Maia Kantaria Student Contributor, University of Bristol

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bristol chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

In 2026, your January fashion rebrand ahead of the year to come is not a haul.

It’s not heading to Cabot Circus and buying the same going out top that you already have in three colourways. It’s not entering your card details into a sketchy website that’s offering 2 new pairs of jeans for £20. The new cool isn’t what you have; it’s what you create.

A term coined on social media platforms like TikTok, the concept of a ‘January fashion rebrand’ embraces a reset mentality, where new clothes symbolise fresh intentions, habits and identities. This approach to fashion intertwines and confuses style with self-improvement, where buying something new feels like becoming someone new. But in a world where fashion micro-trends regenerate weekly, buying new clothes for the sake of a ‘January reset’ enforces cycles of overconsumption rather than meaningful change.

From crocheting and knitting to sewing and embroidery, the fibre arts allow you to explore what fashion looks like when it starts with you. Each fibre art transforms raw materials like yarn and fabric into clothes that are uniquely yours.

If you’re not sure where to start, this guide explores the different fibre arts possibilities and personalities, helping you find your niche and DIY a 2026 fashion rebrand that is sustainable and entirely your own.

the crocheter

Using yarn and a hook, the crocheter is bold, experimental and embraces imperfections with an ‘I’ll try it and see what happens’ attitude. From thick, chunky blankets to delicate filet crochet tops, this art is fully customisable to the maker’s mood, body and taste, allowing endless designs to be created with your own two hands. The crocheter chases colour, design, texture and uniqueness, often favouring this fibre art over others, as projects can be built up relatively quickly. Through changing up hook size, tension and yarn weight, just about anything can be created through crochet, with some trending crochet staples at the moment being mesh look cardigans and dainty wrap tops.

the sewer

Whether it’s by hand or with a machine, the sewer is chic; thriving on perfection, intention and construction. Based on a foundation of understanding the structure and composition of garments, as well as how fabric moves and lies on the body, sewing rejects standard sizing and creates pieces that are fit to the individual. The sewer finds appeal in the element of control over this fibre art: reclaiming fashion from micro-trends and repetitive high street items.

the knitter

Each stitch created by the knitter provides comfort and tranquillity. The repetitive nature of knitting and the patience required in this fibre art paints the knitter as enjoying the process as much as the final product, where satisfaction comes from every row of stitches as well as the finished piece. Stereotypically labelled a ‘grandma hobby’; in 2026, knitting is redefined as a form of peaceful self-expression through cosy scarves, sweaters and socks, and allows the knitter to create a personalised A/W26 wardrobe.

the embroiderer

The embroiderer is playful, transforming clothing into a canvas. This fibre art centres on personalisation and revamp. Whether it’s adding a garden of flowers on the breast of a jacket or initials stitched onto jean pockets, embroidery turns ordinary clothes into one-of-a-kind statement pieces. Differing from other fibre arts, embroidery involves enhancing old garments, not building them from scratch, so may be more friendly for those looking for a low-pressure way to explore fibre arts without committing to a full project and starting from zero.

Where to start:

You don’t need a degree in textiles to be able to explore the fibre arts; patience, curiosity and inspiration are all you need. Start by exploring the endless possibilities through Pinterest boards, social media and street style spotting: what can be handmade? What do you see that you want to recreate? What items in your wardrobe are looking dusty and in desperate need of a revamp?

If you’re still unsure, take a look at these fibre arts influencers on Instagram for trending and easy to follow crochet and knit patterns:

@by.esterah – For sweaters and cardigans in crochet and knit.

@crochetbybelladonna – For gorgeous, dainty, filet crochet tops, skirts and dresses.

Choosing to explore the fibre arts shifts fashion from consumption to creativity, replacing impulse buys for the sake of the new year with intention, personalisation and the development of a new skill. As 2026 continues, shift the value of your clothes from a brand label to the satisfaction of being able to say, ‘Oh, I made it’.