As an industry, fashion started on a micro scale. The majority of the population made their own clothes, and the remaining were the wealthy who had their clothing custom made. Like most industries, it was not until the industrial revolution that fashion began to expand greatly. As the efficiency of production increased, society started to shape the culture of overconsumption that exists today. At the beginning of industrialization, environmentalism was rarely if at all, considered. As William McDonough and Michael Braungart discuss in Cradle to Cradle, “If the first industrial revolution had a motto…it would be ‘if brute force doesn’t work, you’re not using enough of it’” (30). Unfortunately, this attitude remained in mainstream society for far too long. Fashion, in particular, has become a well-known culprit in using brute force as a method of production and perpetuation of the current consumer culture. The most talked about issues in the fashion industry are the consequences of fast fashion; namely overconsumption and waste. According to Safia Minney, the author of Slow Fashion, “we are already consuming 1.5 times our planet’s resources, hurtling towards an unsustainable future which threatens our environment and our very existence” (11). If changes aren’t made soon the path the fashion industry is leading society down is only going to get darker.

 

            The seemingly instinctual defensive attitude the majority of the human population has towards nature is partly to blame for the current environmental issues. Though in modern society nature poses very little threat to the survival of the human race it is still viewed as something to conquer and control. This mentality and concept of superiority towards nature resulted in a one-sided relationship that cannot be sustained. Humans take what they want with reckless abandon and destroy whatever they feel is in the way. Much of the concept of this collection began with the following quote from Cradle to Cradle. “The perceived conflict between nature and industry made it look as if the values of one system must be sacrificed to the other” (78). The idea of sacrifice by nature sparked the parallels drawn from parasitic relationships to humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Parasitism is defined as a relationship between two species in which one benefits at the expense of the other and this is clearly the relationship humans have developed with nature. While there are some efforts being made to give back to the earth, the overwhelming amount of benefits are given solely to the human race. This collection is an exploration of this relationship in future contexts and role reversal.

 

            In the future world this collection lives in humans are no longer in control; they are simply the host species that exists for the survival of the garments. The representation of the concept of parasitism is found in the details. The first and foremost function of clothing is to provide warmth and protection. These garments are made for the fall and winter season, and while the silhouettes appear to be seasonally appropriate, the fabrics used are light and breathable offering little warmth to the host. In addition, the garments include large distressed holes to further reduce practical functions. Each hole is stabilized with two rows of stitching, so while it appears the garments are decaying and falling apart they are still quite stable. Small growths made from second-hand pantyhose and shredded scraps of fabric give an impression of disease and decay when in reality they offer a new purpose for something that would normally be discarded. Subtle ways of restricting the movement of the host body are not only representative of characteristics of existing parasites that cause paralysis but are protective measures against wear and tear. In order to ensure extended survival, these garments evolved in a way that eliminated the risk of rips and holes in the most common places they occur, such as elbows. The color scheme and other small design details were inspired by the work of Mia-Jane Harris. In her series Your Corpse is Beautiful she examines the intricacies of human anatomy post-mortem with microphotography. By utilizing the natural colors found in the tissues of a corpse the collection as a whole speaks to the degradation of the human race.

           

            The goal of this collection was not to disillusion the audience into believing there is no hope for the future. It was meant to be a catalyst for discussion of the current state of the world. By creating a dystopian future through an almost absurdist lens it allows for a degree of separation from issues that affect the entire population directly. Moving forward this collection will stand as a reminder of the consequences humans may face if there is no change made.