Vol.64 FIT Exhibition/Eco Fashion

FIT Exhibition/Eco Fashion

“Eco-Fashion: Going Green” at the Museum of FIT (Fashion Institute
of Technology), now through November 13, 2010, is an
exploration of “fashion’s complex and multi-faceted relationship with
the environment, discussing both bad and good ecological practices
of the past 250 years.”

Eco-thinking has become very important for the fashion industry.
However, it is not always beneficial for fashion, because every industry,
including the fashion industry, in its use of technology to enrich and
make our lives convenient, usually destroys, at least, some of nature.

The FIT exhibit boldly challenges this difficult subject.
All people who wear clothes have to look at the subjects raised
by this exhibit and consider the relationship between industry
and environmental destruction.

A poison green silk faille and chenille dress from 1865, because the green
dye was made from the deadly chemical arsenic which caused health
problems to the maker and wearer.

In the 1920’s, fur coats, such as raccoon ones for men, became popular
and the animal rights movement became active at the same time.

French couture designer, Madeline Vionnet, was recognized in the exhibit
“as a guardian of workers”.
“The Queen of the Bias Cut” was the first couturier to give workers paid
holiday & maternity leave, day care, and a coffee break.

When I read the text, I thought that Vionnet could make a beautiful dress
because she was considerate of her workers.
Then suddenly I remembered words I murmured in an old dream,
“To make a beautiful dress, we need beautiful fabric, beautiful hands and a
beautiful heart”.
When I saw Vionnet’s lovely dress, I remembered the words from my
dream of over several decades ago…I don’t know why.

Back at the exhibit, a dress from the 1880’s a “crazy” quilted coat of
patchwork, were representative of recycling.

Nylon, polyester and other synthetic fabrics flourished in the 1950’s.
However, with oil as an essential ingredient, the manufacturing process
produced oxidation and gas emissions that could affect the Earth for over
120 years– and the fiber and fabrics were not bio-degradable.
Over 8,000 chemicals have been used to turn raw materials into synthetic
and processed natural fiber textiles. Many of these chemicals are irreversibly
damaging to people and the environment.

Clothes emphasizing quality of craftsmanship with lasting value have
always fought against cheaper “fast fashion” and the rise of clothes made
from organic fibers is marked in the exhibition.
An organic mesh cotton blouse and skirt, hand embroidered by Peruvian artisans
is from the 2008 collection of John Patrick, who has recently gained attention
in New York.

The “Gossip Dress” by a young Brazilian designer, was named for the group
of women who sit in a circle and talk while making minutely detailed,
finely pleated circles of China silk by hand, which are then sewn into
a luxurious patchwork evening gown.

A marble print dress of bamboo satin is sustainable and organic.

An unbleached organic wool coat and recycled dress and jacket
are also interesting.

This exhibition gave me hope that we can make unique clothing,
even from the perspective of Eco-Fashion.