Studio / Blueprints Workshop 2018

In 2018, I created a capsule collection that led to the development of a slow fashion festival called Future Forecast. I found inspiration in the transition between summer and fall in New England, layering warm and cool weather pieces in colors and fabrics appropriate for both seasons.

This collection focused on several simple shapes made up in both new (domestically milled, organic) and vintage fabrics, embellished with handcraft techniques that utilized recycled materials. The silhouettes and imagery featured reference intersections between the geometric and organic, using a variety of modified circle, arc, and grid motifs. On several seersucker T-shirts, flat bottomed circles represent the sun on the horizon. Texture, rust dyed stripes adorn mini skirts in a grid pattern. Each piece is a conversation between opposite elements: dyed and undyed fabric, right and wrong sides, wovens and knits. Several pieces feature fabric woven by hand from my studio offcuts in a palette to match the rest of the garments.

To make many of the pieces in the collection, I collaborated with Natural Dyer Amy Lou Stein to dye custom textiles using plants, flowers, and even rusted objects, many of which came from Stein’s own neighborhood in Somerville, MA. I also worked with farmer Katy Riley of Tree House Farms to create felt jewelry and embellishments handmade from her sheep’s wool that was too coarse/damaged for yarn production.

Runway

Photos by Kemani Jackson

Slow fashion often utilizes creativity and resourcefulness as a way to cultivate an exciting and stylish wardrobe with a smaller footprint. For this runway show, part of the Future Forecast event, I took an editorial approach, styling each look with pieces from other sustainable designers and boutiques (Including Quueenn [Formerly Peston], Nathalia JMag, and Slow Process), vintage pieces, as well as items from my own wardrobe and the wardrobes of the models (and in some cases, items hand made by the models themselves!) To learn more about each look and the event where the runway show took place, click here.

Natasha wears a bomber jacket made from organic cotton terry & ‘rag rug’ fabric. Shorts were sewn using the wrong side of the terry and an ingio waistband. Her tshirt is silk, rust dyed by Dyer Maker. Her wooden bangle is by  Non Issue St

Viviann wears a mock neck sweatshirt tee with ‘rag rug’ sleeves. Her skirt is by Nathalia Jmag and her bracelet is by Peston.

Adaline wears a vintage seersucker embroidered tee, with a long sleeve sweater by Dyer Maker and pants by  Miranda Bennett Studio , care of Practice Space.

Rachelle wears a vintage seersucker embroidered tee, with a vintage button up from  Vivant Vintage , Skirt by  Ilana Kohn  care of Practice Space, and collar jewelry by Peston.

Sylvea wears a tee dyed terry mock neck crop top with rib knit sleeves and a terry skirt with a check pattern made from fabric scraps. She also wears a Dyer Maker silk velvet eco printed scarf and a segmented wooded bangle by Non Issue Studio.

Christa wears a terry mock neck dress with ‘rag rug’ sleeves and matching handwoven belt fastened with a vintage brooch.

Angela wears an dress made from an antique embroidered linen tablecloth. The under dress is made from orange terry knit (a last minute gift from a friend helping me to finish sewing my collection. It had been in her stash for ages.) and was sewn up

Natasha wears a vintage seersucker embroidered tee, cotton gauze scarf by Dyer Maker, and pants by  Rachel Craven  care of Practice Space. Her wooden bangle is by  Non Issue Studio .

Editorial

Photos by Monika Rivard