McLaughlin's work involves the reuse of materials for
reconstructed clothing. She began creating reconstructed clothing as a hobby while working as a
graphic designer at
Reebok, using discarded samples from the company. She conducts workshops and collaborates with brands and institutions, including the
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, where she teaches design students.
Hoka, and
Puma. McLaughlin was named in the
Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2023. In 2020,
sustainable footwear company
Allbirds announced a collaboration with McLaughlin under fashion house Market Studios. Mike Cherman of Market Studios introduced McLaughlin to Allbirds founder
Tim Brown. The money raised through collaboration was donated to the mutual aid collective,
The Okra Project, and the environmental group,
Sunrise Movement. In 2024, McLaughlin collaborated with
Highsnobiety magazine to repurpose
Samsonite backpacks into a jacket. The jacket features detachable sleeves and two backpack pouches on the front. McLaughlin described
modularity as a core principle of her design philosophy. == References ==