An international fashion research project exploring the 'craft of use'

Never Washed

Laundering is high impact and yet not laundering is socially unacceptable. But some pieces defy social pressure and are never washed, often motivated by the fear that laundering causes something precious to be lost: a scent, a memory, the particular way a garment fits, the quality of handwork, and even a political stance.

Dirt aesthetic

"This jacket was my sister’s back in high school a long time ago but she never really found use in it. So in high school I ended up taking over it and it’s just covered in some old punk patches from back in the day: Sub Humans, Black Flag, Bikini Kill. And recently I just [got] some new patches… and this one actually glows in the dark which I really like. I’ve never washed it so it’s pretty smelly but I guess that adds to the aesthetic of it."

San Francisco - April 2011
Photograph by Paige Green