SS20

Fashion in a time of emergency how does design evolve?

We aren’t prepared for our new world.

A landscape that we have no idea if we can even survive in.

We are unprepared and we are evolving into this space much too slowly.

We are the problem and we are the solution. We evolve now or we die later.

Honouring the effort our ancestors have given to surviving searching for solutions.

Discarding and reselecting the ways that we work and think disinheriting old practice and inheriting the new.

This collection is founded on attempts at problem solving with pieces which encompass:

zero-waste pattern cutting,

less waste pattern cutting,

reclaimed production off-cuts,

carefully sourced high quality deadstock and surplus fabrics,

nylon made from regenerated ocean plastics,

hand dyed natural indigo overstain,

organic raime made from ‘china grass’,

IVN best organic cottons,

GOTS certified organic cottons,

tencel made from sustainably sourced wood in a closed loop system, 

fast-growing closed loop circular process bamboo silk, 

buttons made from milk proteins,

natural corozo nut buttons,

biodegradable natural rubber and organic cotton elastic, 

glasses from antique acetate handmade in london,

designs reseen and reissued from previous seasons.

Reclaimed mismatched printed fabrics, now a vivid blue, are renewed with a natural indigo overstain. Off-cut leftovers from the previous season are now trapped inside organza as a delicate textile.

Reams of ‘100% polyester, dry clean only’ care labels; for garments we will no longer make, are used in a textile titled, ‘in memorandum.’

Wide striped patchworks of deadstock, from years of waste fabric accumulation, are made with robust black cottons or light sheer shirting fabrics.

Waterproof jackets and shorts are made in regenerated nylon made from ocean plastic waste.

Loose fitting trousers and oversized shirts slouch in the highest grade organic cotton in a bright optimistic sky blue.

Trousers which feel kind with stretching waistbands of natural rubber and organic cotton elastics and drawstrings.

Shirts and shorts skim the body in soft draping natural cellulose tencel.

Light folded culottes, box sleeved dresses and trousers are cut with zero-waste and less-waste pattern cutting techniques and made in organic ramie, one of the most ancient fabrics on earth.

Metal zips are shunned and pieces are fastened only with buttons. These are custom made, plastic-free and made from milk proteins or natural corozo nut.

Bespoke eyewear is made from antique acetate and is handcrafted in london.

Taking time out from showing in February and June has allowed us the time to elaborate on our research and knowledge as a team. Producing the collections in a slower, smaller and more considered manner has become the only conclusion to going forwards, if that is indeed what we are doing. We have used this time to explore approaches and actions to making work which can be described as attempts at solutions. Our intentions now are for certified or reclaimed components only, moving away from virgin resources to a majority of ‘not virgin’ materials in all new work. to use design as a tool to ‘use up’ the ‘waste’ the systems we work within create and to promote and share actively positive virgin materials.

How we work and what we do and what we have, matters. everything we have, everything we own, has to come from somewhere and eventually, it has to go somewhere.

We are just the middle men. What are we going to do with that?