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.
Treasure with tie
"I bought this coat in a second hand store… there was half off that day, so I got it for 34 dollars. It’s Persian lamb, black Persian lamb. It’s not dyed. And [the collar] is marmot fur. I did some research, found some stamps from the leather company that made it inside and it would [have] cost about the same as a Ford Automobile did [when it was made] in the thirties. …It makes me feel that I should [take care of it more]. I feel like I have to… like when you have a treasure… It has started to fall apart… and I've been sewing [it] back together.
I didn't notice the [coat’s] internal tie until I’d worn it for about a week, I was wondering why it was kept on falling off. This loop is elastic… which is brilliant... it gives a bit and it holds [the coat] on."
Vancouver - January 2013
Photograph by
Jeremy Calhoun