Sustainable fashion is an ever-evolving term used to describe a commitment to ethical production, responsible resourcing and natural processes. This system of practice aims to produce garments that do not deplete renewable resources or pollute during manufacture, are able to be reabsorbed into the environment and maintain value and significance to the wearer.
Today, there is a myriad of ways to embrace sustainable fashion and support eco-conscious designers. Consider this exhibition a starting point, as we highlight makers dedicated to sustainable practice and suggest more ethical and environmentally conscious ways to enjoy fashion.
Featured designers:
Julia Knüpfer is a Berlin-based fashion designer, a graduate of Esmod Berlin and winner of the ‘Designer for Tomorrow’ award at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin. Her label icawatermelon combines sustainability with high fashion, using organic cotton and wool sourced from biologically controlled animal welfare. Julia’s knitwear has been described as ‘futuristic, directional and daring’, with a striking balance between angular, structural forms and delicate knitted accessories. Find out more here.
Holly McQuillan is a lecturer in Fashion Design at Massey University’s College of Creative Arts in Wellington. Her research focuses on sustainable design practice by exploring the possibilities of zero-waste pattern cutting - a philosophy which challenges existing techniques and eliminates wastage. Her considered design approach results in garments that are timeless and adaptable, sustaining value over many years. Find out more here.
Georgia McCorkill is a PhD candidate within the School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University. She designs special occasion dresses whose physical durability matches their fleeting requirements for use. The Red Carpet Project is a design driven collaboration between designers, celebrities, stylists and publicists, using the red carpet as a forum to raise awareness of environmental problems faced by the fashion industry. McCorkill uses natural eucalyptus plant dyes and up-cycled fabric remnants to achieve stunning environmentally conscious gowns. Find out more here.
To read more about EVERGREEN and sustainable fashion, visit Object Eye.
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