Material resourcefulness
Garments are fusions of materials and energy brought to the body in myriad configurations, yet the dominant force in fashion, consumerism, tends to value only a narrow spectrum of fashion activity. The practices of material resourcefulness broaden this view and show a burgeoning testing ground of an alternative flows of fibre, fabric and product.
Repurpose everything
"I went to my aunt’s house over Christmas break and I noticed that the pillowcase that was on my cousin’s bed looked a lot like my dad’s old hospital uniform… she repurposes everything.
My favourite story about her is that when my older cousin moved out of the house, she wanted to re-purpose his bedroom, to make a living space. So, instead of taking his old bed out and putting a sofa in, she cut his mattress in half. That’s literally what she did. (laughs) It’s not like in Mexico they have less. They have a very special cultural habit to not throw things out."
New York - January 2013
Photograph by
Ellinor Stigle