By Lianne Mol
How is a sustainable aesthetic possible in fashion, and what does it look like? This question has been, and still is, at the core of my research. Departing from the idea that fashion is essentially not sustainable, I have been trying to find ways to really integrate sustainability in fashion design. I am not saying fashion can’t be sustainable; it is just in contradiction with its nature. As many theorists have shown, one of fashion’s main characteristics is change. The fashion industry creates and maintains a continuous desire for new garments, different styles, and fresh trends. And, as many other people have rightly argued, this needs to change in order to make the fashion industry more sustainable.
In my opinion, sustainability needs to become an added value to the aesthetic of a fashion design. It should be visible from the garment that it is sustainable, not just because it has been made out of organic cotton or recycled fibres; it has to have a sustainable aesthetic. In the workshop Lasting Aesthetics I will present my ideas about this sustainable aesthetic. I can, however, never fully answer my own research question. I can merely theorize this idea; I cannot design it.
This is something I have come to realize during the past two years. Sustainable fashion is not something you do on your own. The fashion industry needs interdisciplinary collaboration in order to become more sustainable. New ideas, techniques and designs have to be invented. To create a new, essentially sustainable aesthetic for fashion, we need to work together. So, in my research I have come to realize my limitations as a cultural theorist, which was highly frustrating. However, this has led to a new way of looking at my research possibilities as both theoretical and artistic.
To fully answer my question, I want to invite others to think with me. To fill the gaps in my knowledge and skills. And to work with me on developing a sustainable aesthetic in fashion. Interested? Join my expert meeting.
Lasting Wear 