Fairly Fashionable?

 

 

“Good designers don't just consider the aesthetics of an object, but how that object comes to be - right down to the growth and manufacture of it.”

Fashion Revolution

 

The Event: Fairly Fashionable

Fairly Fashionable? challenge commenced on Fashion Revolution Day, April 24th, the first anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory disaster in Dhaka Bangladesh, where 1133 lives were lost (with many hundreds more injured) -- with devastating long-lasting effects on families and friends.

Designers were challenged to create a garment or fashion accessory (jewellery, head piece, bag etc.), in 14 days by incorporating in their design a piece of original Fair Trade fabric (supplied) originating from countries including India, Peru, Cambodia, Indonesia and Bangladesh.

Fairly Fashionable? culminated with a public fashion show on the eve of World Fair Trade Day on May 9th at MANY 6160, Fremantle’s premier new fashion quarter in the old Myer building.

A public exhibition of designed work was display at MANY 6160 from World Fair Trade Day, May 10th-May 18th, 2014.

 

 

 

The Experience:



The Fashion Degree at Curtin places a value on sustainability, teaching us about the environmental and humanitarian impacts which the fashion industry has on the world. Because of this and through my personal enthusiasm in the area, I was keen to become involved.

The Fairly Fashionable? Design Challenge firstly asked for an expression of interest where designers explained their brand or personal values. On Fashion Revolution Day (24^th of April), we were all invited to MANY 6160 to come together and debrief on the project. While we were there, each designer chose a hessian bag that contained a piece of fair trade fabric from different origins, varying types of material and of different sizes, shapes, colour and textures. It was our challenge to create an outfit, accessory or fashion component within 14 days incorporating the fabric we had received. 

One of the objectives of the challenge was to show that fair trade and eco design can be contemporary and interesting so it was important for the designers to demonstrate new ideas and innovative fashion design within their pieces. Even though we were able to use additional elements for our design, we were asked to think sustainably with what we used and how we used it.

My Outfit:

For my project, I received a piece of fair trade fabric from Anjel Ms which was a contrasting black and red Cotton tie dye fabric, much of which still supported ties used in the dying process. With this fabric I was I was inspired to create a menswear design featuring the unfinished, as well as the finished, fabric as a way of conveying the story behind the material. My outfit includes pants which contain no inner or outer leg seam to provide added comfort for the wearer. I also recycled leather off cuts and upcycled cotton for my design as well as investigating the idea of ‘zero waste pattern making’ by using one piece of cloth which was tucked and cut and the pieces reoriented to form a shape for the body.

          

It was a great idea to put a short, 2 week time frame on the challenge to make the designers, as well as the audience, consider the idea of ‘fast fashion’ and the pressure which some people are put under to produce products for an extremely quick turn over. The whole experience was fantastic, it was great to see updates on how the other designers were going and seeing the ideas they came up with at the end of it all. It was also fantastic to see so many people attend the runway event to support the designers and the cause and create a wider understanding of the importance of fair trade in the fashion industry.

 

 Cordelia




Thanks to Trilby Temperley for images

Some Press...

X-Press Fashion Magazine Perth Fashion Festival Designer Scrapbook featuring two of my designs from Student Runway

Gusto and Elan Store Exhibition

A bit of an update; 

Cordelia Gibbs 'Walk as one 2013' Collection stocked at Gusto and Elan, Melbourne, as a part of the in store exhibition for The Spirit of the Black Dress. 

Walk as One 2013

       

Technology and Dress

Technology and the body is a major part of any life. Not only is there transplants and manipulations, but it is a part of everyday life. As technology advances, it becomes more and more evident in everyday life to a point where people are dependent upon it. We become more and more connected to the world as well as community, with social networks such as Facebook and Twitter a perfect example. But with a personal front in the form of a digital wall or selection of short messages, it is evident that a loss of face to face communication techniques is apparent. Obviously humans have lost many adaptations that are necessary for animal survival, but have we even lost the ability to communicate properly? A computer screen needs nothing more than a few lines of text. There is no need for body language or other forms of communicative techniques. With technology so encrypted into our daily lives, it is not going anywhere. Evidently, our only savior is the problem itself; we need technology to get us back to animal basics. 

I was inspired by technology to create these conceptual  garments following the technology created by Carbon. Keep reading for all the details:

When vapourised, Carbon creates what is called a Buckminsterfuleren or a ‘Bucky Ball’. The structure created is of a shape like a soccer ball with 12 pentagon and 20 hexagon shapes which, interestingly, fit together. When this molecule is stretched, it creates a nanotube molecule. This molecule has the ability to hold up an incredible weight percentage which is 10x stronger than any other material in the world. What is specific to my project, is the last manipulation done to this molecule. When the molecule is split in half and ‘opened up’, it creates a strong, transparent, flexible and electrical material which can potentially be wrapped around, say the wrist, and be used as a touch screen computer.

It is predicted that this material may be available in as little as 2-3 years time, meaning it is only a matter of time before people are not only surrounding themselves in various forms of technology, but literally wrapping themselves in the material. But instead of putting up a barrier in communication even further, can this technology aid in face to face communication techniques, bringing the inside feelings out? 

Catalyst 2011 

Garments made from interfacing tucked and glued. Plastic shade-cloth for silver shapes. Computer chips and cords for accessories.