![Medieval Period (Part 1)-Sociopolitical System & women’s clothing]()
by Purba | May 5, 2021 | Academic |
Medieval period is one of the most interesting periods for historians. Many political changes & reforms came during this period. All these reforms had an absolute impact on people’s lifestyle, dress & fashion. Which still inspire our modern fashion designers. In this series we will talk about all these things regarding medieval culture, society & political impact along with medieval clothing. Our part 1 consists Medieval Period’s short history, Social system, Sumptuary law & Women’s clothing.
History of Medieval Period:
Approximately 5th century to late 15th century is regarded as Middle Ages or Medieval period by historians. However, it actually began with the fall of western roman empire & ended before renaissance. When western roman empire falls catholic churches turned into most powerful institution. The formation & rise of Byzantine empire (395-1453) started during this time. A new revolution started with the birth of Islamic Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which created empires like Umayyad Caliphate (661-750), Abbasid Caliphate (750-1517), Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171), Ayyubid Caliphate (1171-1260), Caliphate of Cordova (929-1031) etc. Meanwhile in Europe the Franks established Carolingian Empire (800-888). Besides there were impact of Vikings, Magyars, Saracens etc in Europe. After 10th century, High middle age began where the population along with agricultural development increased which caused social systems like Manorialism and Feudalism. The clash between the empires, civil wars were common in political environment. Western European Christians tried to regain their holy land from Muslims which created holy war or Crusade. All these things created four-category people such as King, Religious preacher, Soldier or Knights and the common people. Apart from these things based on different social customs there was lot of category and dividing within people of Medieval period.
Social Systems of Medieval Period:
Medieval period saw social system like Manorialism. Manorialism was seen in rural area where legal and economic power was given to a lord of the manor. Which further updated and turned into feudalism. In feudal society the core power was within three (the nobility, the clergy, the peasantry). Feudal system is mainly a combination of legal & military customs. There were king at the highest order then Knights, Clergy & tradesman. Peasant were the bottom character in this pyramid system. In Islamic world everyone lived under caliph. There was soldier, tradesman, scientists, poets, philosophers from cities like Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo etc.
Sumptuary Law of Medieval Period:
Sumptuary law was widely applied in Europe during medieval period. The law was basically used to regulate consumption and protect the feudalism ideology through daily commodities like dress, food and luxury expenditure. Sumptuary law made it easier to make discrimination between the people according to their class. People from various class was permitted to wear or use different rank dress due to this law. Prosperous Bourgeoisie was identified based on their dress. So, the moral of the story is only the wealthy could dress in fashionable way and had more option to dress than the other. It was commonly said by the Medieval philosophers about fashion that “The King himself was a leader of fashion, the nobles followed the King, the merchants followed the nobles and the peasants were clothed in the simplest of garments.”
However, from women’s hairstyle to food everything was maintained under sumptuary law & breaking these laws could be harsh for anyone because of penalty system. But the most interesting fact is most of the countries in Europe like England, Spain, France, Italy, German etc accepted these sumptuary laws.
Women’s Clothing:
Women’s clothing had different priorities based on culture. Italian people followed their cultural heritage on the other hand German and Switzerland used heavy and detailed work in their dress. English people are always elegant with their fashion sense & same goes for France too although France was inconsistent in fashion. Medieval women mainly used to wear “Kirtles” which consisted full length tunics covering their ankles. General women used two tunics and sometimes a long cloak around the tunic. In some case short kirtles were seen to wear on tunics. A belt-like item was used to create a long-waist appearance which was regarded as “Gridle”.
A ride by the Medieval Party. Courtesy: Photo by Matheus Frade on Unsplash
By the time tunics turned were narrowed and woman gowns became more emphasized. Use of headwear of scarf was seen. Women’s cloth started to become tighter and fitting. As far as Muslim women concerns, they used to wear long tunic that reached down to their knees. If women go to crowd, they used to wear veil in their faces. However, as wool was most popular fabric at that time most of the women’s cloth including tunica was made of wool.
By Team Stalwart,
Mentor: Sumita Bhattacharja Joly (2018-1-6-007);Dept: Textile Fashion & Design
Leader: Shariful Islam Akash (2019-1-6-040);Dept: Textile Fashion & Design
Executive: Nashita Ahmed (2020-1-10-041);Dept: Environmental Science & Engineering
References:
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by Purba | May 5, 2021 | Shout out |
Fashionnovation is always looking for unique, sustainable, rising fashion brands and the masterminds behind them. In today’s Fashionnovation’s exclusive interview, we get the humble opportunity to introduce you with Kasia Kolasa, the talented Finnish fashion designer working for the maternity dresses with her own fashion brand called VeNove.
Kazi Purba: What’s the story of VeNove? Why did you start?
Kasia Kolasa: VeNove is a small fashion company and a fashion brand founded by me in 2018 in Helsinki, Finland. After graduating from a fashion school, I wanted to find my place in the challenging fashion industry and pursue my journey as a designer. I have always been passionated about patternmaking and garment construction but I wanted to combine these with my practical sewing skills and creating my own small business. I wanted to find a niche market for my products and I decided to create a maternity clothing line – mostly dresses and tunics that could be worn in pregnancy and beyond. My main goal in VeNove was to make garments that are comfortable and easy to wear but at the same time stylish and unique. That’s where I could really use my pattern construction skills.
Figure: Kasia Kolasa, the founder of VeNove. Image courtesy: VeNove.
Kazi Purba: Wow! It feels great to hear that you kept on doing what you love most! Would you please explain your design concepts?
Kasia Kolasa: I aim to design for women who want to feel beautiful but also comfortable when pregnant and who appreciate timeless and sustainable fashion – but with some innovative twists in shape. VeNove maternity dresses are suitable for breastfeeding (thanks to a hidden nursing panel) and there are many small details that make the projects special – for example the front part of the dresses is slightly longer than the back – thanks to that it looks proportional and doesn’t get too short as the belly grows in pregnancy. Pockets – that’s another tiny detail that makes the garments more comfortable and functional. And there are no zippers, so the dresses are super easy and comfortable to wear.
I design for real women – that’s why VeNove size table varies from many standard charts used by fashion producents and industrial pattern makers. There is one very important change I made to the usual sizing to make room not only for the growing belly but also for the growing breasts (in the pregnancy and after). This change in the patterns allows the customer to use their normal pre-pregnancy clothing size. VeNove products are available in sizes from XS to XL. I also offer individual customization.
Kazi Purba: I’ve watched your youtube videos about pattern making. I literally love them! Would you please tell us something about it?
Kasia Kolasa: I love patternmaking and I really enjoy challenging myself with garment construction – all kinds of construction, not only dresses or maternity clothing. I have been working with individual clients, and tailoring the patterns to many different silhouettes. Some years ago I started to make my patterns digitally. In VeNove I prepare all of my projects using Valentina – an open source pattern drafting software tool. I encourage other aspiring designers to try it. For me it’s a quicker, more accurate and also more sustainable way of making patterns compared to drafting them on paper.
Kasia Kolasa also shares with others her skills and knowledge about patternmaking by publishing some wonderful video tutorials on her YouTube channel. Fashionnovation eagerly waits to watch more of her tutorials! Image courtesy: VeNove.
I want to share with others my skills and knowledge about patternmaking. That’s why I published some video tutorials on my YouTube channel and many more are to come. I also plan to sell some of my PDF patterns to hobbyist sewers.
Kazi Purba: We know that sustainability is a big issue at this moment. How does VeNove promote sustainability?
Kasia Kolasa: VeNove supports Slow fashion. I make all the products by myself, starting from the design of the projects, drafting patterns to finding the right fabrics and manufacturing the garments. VeNove collection consists of small batches and unique pieces and instead of keeping many products in stock, I make many of them to order. I have a freedom to do so, because I don’t depend on subcontractors and I can sew very well. I can also manage the usage of materials and although VeNove projects are not completely zero waste designs, I aim to reduce the textile waste to minimum. I use high quality fabrics which are also easy to maintain (this is very important for mothers with small babies). VeNove dresses are suitable for the time of pregnancy, breastfeeding but not only – they don’t look at all as typical maternity garments and they can be styled in many ways – casual or more elegant.
If you want to see Kasia Kolasa’s projects and find out more about VeNove, please visit:
Website: https://venove.design/
Instagram: @venove.fashion
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/venove.fashion
and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VeNove
If you have any initiative like Kasia Kolasa or have to say something to the world, feel free to contact us and get featured in fashionnovation! Our email address: fashionnovationfd@gmail.com
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by Purba | May 3, 2021 | Fashion and sustainability |
It is a common consideration to believe that the ‘small’ amount of unsound household waste each individual produces, creates such a minimum impact on the world. But if you take into detail there are approximately 7.4 billion people in the world, this number becomes horrible. The amount of unsound waste generated and disposed of, in the United States alone, is measured to be 7.6 billion of tons per year! Most of the wastes that are filling our oceans and landfills are enduring for quite a long time. And what is the saddest part? The fashion industry is one of the most wasteful industries. Undoubtedly, in the last 15 years, this glorious industry has doubled its production, but at the same time, the concept of wearing clothing before it is thrown away has declined by 40%. An average consumer throws away 70 pounds (31.75kgs) of clothing per year! Globally about 13 million tons of textile waste is produced each year. These trends of making waste are not only killing our planet or impacting on public health, but also they are bounding the opportunities for the fashion industry to succeed in the distant future.
The Story of The Rise of The Phoenix- An Invisible Bond with Modern Fashion
According to Greek Mythology, it is said, the glorious ancient bird Phoenix is capable of its rebirth. A Phoenix is said to live only once at a time. When the time comes, unlike any other birds, a Phoenix would die by setting itself on fire, only to produce mysterious ashes. The ashes from where a new Phoenix would be born! Thus, a new and powerful Phoenix regenerated from the silver ashes of its predecessor.
Modern fashion activists can relate to this concept of rebirth and regeneration. The wastes produced from the industry can be depicted as the new definition of ashes and of course, the upcycled creations from these wastes would be our new Phoenix! Nonetheless, the household or textiles wastes can be the opportunity to make new fashion and be the new hope for saving the planet.
10 Fashion Brands to Regenerate New Designs from Waste
Many fashion brands have already been working on waste and designing out of it in an innovative way. Let’s get to know some of these fashion brands and how they challenge waste to create sustainable fashion!
Ecoalf
Ecoalf, a fashion brand of Spain produces clothing and accessories from recycled materials. Their main motto is to use a lesser amount of natural resources and utilize high amount of plastic wastes. Hence, they recover nylon waste (fabric scraps, fishing nets from the oceans and carpets), plastic bottles, cotton, coffee grounds and more to create fabrics and products. But its main target is recycling plastic waste collected from the bottom of the oceans. Ecoalf definitely contributes themselves in the production of garments made out of 100% recovered plastic as they claim, “There is no planet B where we can live in.”
Collina Strada
Collina Strada is a clothing brand created by Hillary Taymour, whose main concern is sustainable fashion while still keeping their individuality. This brand makes brightly colored dresses with unusual designs from deadstock fabrics. It recycles cotton T-shirts, water bottles and prints on deadstock too. Besides, it works for reducing waste, the brand focuses on incorporating innovative new materials such as fabrics made from rose petals which is known as Rose Silk!
Image 2: A vibrant Collina Strada creation for PreFall Season 2021.
Hôtel Vetements
Hotel Vetements is a French-Danish love affair by the Danish Fashion Designer Alexandra Hartman. The journey started with the transformation of high-quality yet old curtains to sophisticated pieces of modern clothing. Moreover, the brand creates upcycling, artisanal apparel not only from forgotten curtains and upholsteries but also from hand-embroideries, linen textiles, tablecloths, cotton sheets from provence and much more. As a result, each garment has their own style of vintage effect. More so, no two items are similar. They support uniqueness and imperfection of each beautiful artifact.
Zero Waste Daniel
Zero Waste Daniel is the first company making 100% zero waste apparel. This company uses pre-consumer waste sourced from New York city’s garment industry and other hard-to-recycle materials to make genderless clothing and accessories with artistic creations. Many of their unisex garments are textile off-cuts produced by the fashion industry. These off-cuts are stored in tiny jars and later used to be used in the making of casual wear garments. The brand, hence, recreates textile by products as well as inspire people to rethink about waste and reduce their impact.
ZWD storage of scraps of fabrics in tiny jars. Courtesy: Vincent Tullo for The New York Times
Iro Iro
Established by Indian daughter of a garment factory owner, Iro Iro is a sustainable design practice where each product gets new life from pre-consumer waste fabric. Then, this fabric is woven by hand outside of Jaipur into a rich textile fabric. Artisans take advantage of this handwoven, upcycled textiles to create ingenious clothing and accessories through zero waste cutting techniques. During the processing, Iro Iro establishes the essence of Indian craftsmanship and tradition.
E.L.V DENIM
Anna Foster, a Stylist and Creative Director, is also the founder of E.L.V. Denim. This brand upcycles unwanted jeans and jackets and transforms them into modern sophisticated pieces of clothing. Their recycling journey starts by taking unwanted jeans from warehouses around the United Kingdom. Then the washing process starts using a local East London launderette called Cleanex run by Korosh Murad. This washing process is vital which removes unnecessary materials from the discarded pieces of denim. Cleanex is well known for using only 7liters of water to wash the fabrics, where a brand new pair of manufactured jeans would require 7000liters! After washing, the denims are measured and sorted for the atelier. All the jeans are cut manually and made by using traditional denim methods. Even the labelling has their concept of sustainability. The labels are made from scraps of unused pieces of leather, ensuring the zero-waste policy! Thus E.L.V. completes their mission of preparing neoteric sustainable dresses without environmental pollution, assuring what the designer, Anna Foster, herself quoted-
“Sustainability is the ultimate part of what I do. We live in a very aesthetic world, so a successful brand has to marry carefully the two of them together.”
Image 4: Anna Foster with waste denims collected throughout UK. Courtesy: elvdenim.com
Doodlage
Kriti Tula is a designer, also the Founder of Doodlage Retail. She and her Doodlage team upcycles industrial waste fabric into wearable fashion, upholstery and accessories. According to the article of Reverse Resources, about 12 million tons of post-consumer textiles are available to be reused and upcycled. Relating to this concept, Doodlage generates pieces from tattered textiles and materials found. Therefore, they hunt for the ragged material first, and enter into the design process second. They collect all sorts and sizes of fabrics, from under 100 meters to very short ones. All the relevant fabrics are then mixed and matched with a follow-up of patching, embroidering and more. This is how Doodlage pieces are restored to life.
Christy dawn
Christy Dawn is the founder of Christy Dawn. She and her husband launched the company. It consists of dresses made with only deadstock fabric. The question is, what is exactly deadstock fabric? Normally, deadstock fabrics are those that are old and unable to be sold. In modern era, deadstock fabrics particularly refers to all those that are left over from other fashion houses. Before they are thrown away in the landfill, Christy Dawn and team, rescues these deadstock fabrics and turn them into dresses. But one of the disadvantages they follow is that, when they use deadstock fabrics, they are limited in the number of dresses they can make, as there are not unlimited amounts of fabric to be used to make a full fashionable garment.
Outerknown
Designer & Surfer John Moore co-founded Outerknown with 11-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater. From their very start, this brand had a challenge to build sustainable products. The brand makes comfortable and casual beach style clothings rooted in longevity and transparency. Over 90% of Outerknown’s products are made from organic, recycled and regenerated fiber and materials. One of their most amazing route to sustainability is the use of Econyl! Econyl is a type of nylon made entirely of wastages. Since Outerknown is highly inspired by beach styles, due to the inspirations collected from the 2 surfer co-founders, this brand collects fish nets to turn them into econyl fibers. It is one of their fascinating ways to clean the ocean!
Famous S.E.A Jeans by Outerknown- an outcome from 98% organic cotton that lasts long. Courtesy: outerknown.com
Insecta
The founders of Insecta are Pamela Magpali and Barbara Mattivy. It’s a Brazilian shoe label that transforms fabrics and prints from vintage clothing into vegan footwear. Not only that, this brand is highly known for their application of plastic bottles in the manufacturing process! Insecta makes awesome fashion lines that includes shoes, desert boots, sandals and Chelsea boots using recycled plastic, unwanted rubber and second-hand textiles materials.
Image 6: A printed Insecta shoe made entirely out of plastic! Courtesy: shopinsecta.com
It is certain, any upcycled textile reduces the chance of negative environmental impact. Anything that is made out of waste, now is a new way of thinking and creating fashion in a different manner indeed, just like a Phoenix would start its life anew!
By Team Bespoke,
Mentor: Tasphia Zaman (TFD 44, ID: 2018-1-6-009)
Leader: Khadiza Sharmin (TFD 45, ID: 2019-1-6-015)
Executive: Nahema Haque Khushe (TFD 46, ID: 2020-1-6-002)
References:
![Medieval Period (Part 1)-Sociopolitical System & women’s clothing]()
by Purba | Apr 29, 2021 | Top Trends |
In this beautiful world, each and everyone is in a constant search of identity, something that will make them unique and indentifiable; to enhance personal identity what immediately comes in mind is fashion where fashion and identity have always been a great pair. For humans, fashion for enhancing personal identity has always been a crucial element that has been a regulating force in a person’s entire life.
Introduction of Fashion and identity:
Fashion can be defined a constantly changing trend, it is necessary to recognize that at the present moment fashion has a deeper influence on peoples life, it is not only anymore something to cover ourselves, fashion now-a-days show some part of people’s personality and tell to other people who they are and that is called identification. Clothing has become a part of the self – realization of every person. The choice of clothing and accessories is as important as the identification of the colour of hair, height, skin and gender.It is said, “Clothing now-a-days is a media of information about the person wearing it” (Barnard, 2002)
How Fashion Enhances Personal Identity:
Clothing that help us to express and create an identity. At the beginning it was only designed for covering our body, But now-a-day it offers a great variety of styles and it also gives people the opportunity to reveal their identity.
Create your own identity by using fashion as a tool, The mirror depicts fashion and identity.
Every dress who is wearing this, carries a strong strong message message about that person’s choice and identity. So it can be said that clothing of a person is a media of communication with the outside world. Moreover, it is also a wonderful way to tell people about one’s state and the status.
Fashion is like a art. A cloth is a thought of a designer, where he gives his creation any shape he likes and want, at the same time he also thinks who is wearing it, and where will she/he go by wearing it. By Keeping each and everything in his mind he design a dress.Every cloth carrries a massage, which is the main identification of a person. And fashion helps to clear that massge, it helps to create a confidence to the man who is wearing it.
Impact on outer perception:
Clothing have an immense impact on the perception of people around and on the
perception of the person wearing them too. Fashion is one of the most powerful means of communication, which sometimes may play a vital role in the life of a person is especially concerns the cases of getting a desired job.
Therefore fashion may not only carry a massage, it can also create a “pseudo- message” that is required by a situation the person find himself in. As a result the customers feel more confident in such a consultants.So, fashion is a very keen tool of manipulation while communicating besides its importance in social class, culture and gender relations of people.
Clothing as a symbol of culture (Fashion as self-imaging):
How to dress, dress up and physical appearance are often the basis of first impressions, which are relatively long-lasting, even the glasses can influence other people’s perceptions of usage. Sometimes we dress to impress others, to be more like them, or if we wear clothes that are contrary to the norms held by a group of people to express our rejection of their values. Clothing is a part of unity that cannot be separated from social life. In the personal dimension, clothing becomes a medium to explore expressions and ideas that sometimes appear in abstract forms. Through the socio-cultural dimension, clothing is used as a medium of communication, promotion, and even the formation of ideology. Various problems that arise in social life can be reflected through clothing products, so that the formulation of communication between users, connoisseurs, and clothing creators is formed systematically.
Women with their own cultural outfits, Courtesy : photo by Ante from Pexels
Clothing products as a visual manifestation of cultural products are often used as markers and social identities for the social community. Symbols of discrimination, adoration, characterization and blasphemy appear along with the circulation of clothing products. Discourse on clothing is not a simple matter in the social cultural context; religion, morals, ethics, and art. This paper, in its limitations, with semiotic, communication, aesthetic and religious perspectives, describes the socio-cultural dimension of dress style.
So, at the end it can be said that, the relationship between fashion and indentity are inseparable.Identity is a necessary process of a healthy personality because it is a part
of self realization of a person.Fashion form an outstanding base for personal identification with all its symbolism and attributes.
Team : Lemon Drops”
Mentor: A.S.M.Shahidullah (TFD44; ID: 2018-1-6-013)
Leader: Jeba Samia (TFD 45; ID- 2019-1-6-035)
Executive : Rabeya Begum Mishu (TFD 46; ID-2020-1-6-34)
You can also read this article on 21st century fashion here!
http://localhost/fashion/fashion-in-the-21st-century/
by Purba | Apr 28, 2021 | Top Trends |
Fashion trends have always been forecast before years to come considering the existing data we have at our hand. But who knew that there will come a pandemic like Corona? So, what about the Fashion Trends 2021? As we all are passing a pandemic situation right now, we can say that it affects our fashion industry too like others. A lot of things have been changed. Some fashion shows were stopped for this pandemic situation. But now we are coping up with this situation. Now the virtual runway shows viewed from our laptop screens give us a taste of the exciting trends on the horizon for 2021. I can say undoubtedly if there was ever a time for a dose of fun, it’s 2021. Neutrals have dominated fashion for the past few seasons, we’re also seeing that reflected in the fashion on the runways. The biggest color trends of 2021 are giving people a sense of hope, optimism, and the refreshment that many are looking for. Rather than a standout hue, we’re seeing saturated shades in a rainbow of colors at Prada. The Pantone Color Institute is choosing bright and soothing colors that takes inspiration from natural elements. This year bright and eye-catching hues are their first choice. The Bright Yellow color refers to evoke hope and optimism after the tumultuous year. The color gives the message of unity, stability and hope. The Deep Teal color is inspired by the calm of the ocean. The Off-White is also steeped in hope and optimism. Its inspiration comes from the pandemic’s craze of baking at home. Fortuna Gold is also their pick ones as it represents the chance happenings and happy coincidences found in life’s moments. They think rich Marigold color will evoke a cozy and friendly vibe. The Powdery Blue is another color that they expect to be big for its calming nature. The Deep Navy color is said to be solid and very intensive and can be used as a great background color. This year the Burnt Red-Orange color is said to have a season less appeal. The French Blue shade will be popular with people who favor the color and are looking for a new shade. The Pastel Green color goes along with the trend of gardening, hiking and other outdoor activities that have become more popular during the pandemic. The Pink-Orang is said to evoke a sense of familiarity and comfort, especially because Coral was a recent Pantone Color of the year. Also, Mint is a refreshing and cleansing color. This year Amethyst Orchid will be popular as far as the prediction. As the Fuchsia color has both warm and cool properties it will be one of the trendy colors. Same goes for Desert Mist. So, we can say that this year will be a colorful and lively year. Another trend that is dominating this year has been Pastel colors. Choose from a boiler suit in cool mint green or an oversized trench coat in soft lavender better yet, try them simultaneously. Among 2021 fashion trends, anyone can pick Bubblegum Pink without any hesitation. Now, let’s have a look on what’s in for 2021. There’s a lot to adopt and skip. The designers ask to adopt sheer, transparent pieces this spring. As our “lockdown life” has been less exciting it’s time for lifting up our mood by wearing color and patterns. Screen-prints can make you feel more artistic. If you are a fan of basics, so Basic Maxis will be one of your cheerleaders. This long line, flattering dresses are the best for comfy. We’ve already seen a glimpse of Warp Skirts in 2020, and in 2021 this trend will comeback with the updated hemline length. Here, oversized Jackets and Blazers with a pair of straight-leg trousers or leather shorts for an ultra-modern style that suit this trend are powder blue, charcoal, and neutrals. Now, Puffed Sleeves are one of those things which are loved by all. In 2021, everyone is adopting Straight Denim Styles and more Relaxed Fitted Jeans and skipping hot pants. Some like Low-Rise Pants as it is so comfortable where some loves Baggy Jeans. It can be little basic, but styling them with different textures and tighter fitting tops will be so cool. Therefore, go all out this season with these beautiful and tangled Folk Inspired Coats. When the temperature starts to drop, you can add some layers of delicate embroidery and lace to keep your outfit hot. The style looks fantastic on every body type. We can try a light brown suit or coat with a mustard turtleneck for the cold season or a sleek tan T-shirt and camel pair of flare pants. This subtle yet flattering combination is the hottest style we can say to try this season. The theme is kept it neutral with Yellow and Camel color styling. Wear White Knee High Boots with a patterned mini dress or skirt, a roll neck, or a funky pair of leggings. It is great for a slouchy style for an effortless feel or keep it sleek and tight for a sexy touch. With that classic and comfortable Ballet Flats are back, and Block Heels gives us extra oomph and height. In this time, Yellow Bags have taken over the runways and the streets. You can choose a small clutch to spice up an outfit or find a mustard tote for your daily needs. Also, an Amber structured handbag with an all-white get-up, or a sleek canary baguette for a night out. At that time, one of the biggest looks we have seen is the Fringing on the bangs. Choose from a leather fringe or shearling- you can rock any season. For a classic look, choose dark hues. But if you want to be unique, take a dip into bold shades. This year 50s and 60s sleek fashion trend is coming back and Head Scarfs is one of them. We can choose from a silky design with floral motif or intricate patterns, or keep it simple with bold colors. This Covid situation gives us another fashion trend and that is Black Face Masks. These masks match almost any outfit. The beauty behind this face-covering is the limitless styling opportunities that comes along it. If you want to stand out among others, add Pop Blue Accessories in your closet. The amaze behind this trend is the unlimited number of options you can try throughout the season. This bright hue will stand out amongst the deeper shades. Add a pop of blue to your monochromatic outfit to update your go-to outfits and rock your key pieces. This is all about 2021 trends, which offered us whimsical escapes into future inspired by designer lockdown daydreams for spring 2021 last Fashion Week. This year is going to be a colorful and hopeful year by our outfits and accessories. By Team Never Passe! Mentor: Priyanka Sarkar Leader: Ria Debnath Dept: Textile Fashion & Design
Reference:
Featured photo: Woman In Pink Zip-up Jacket And Blue Denim Jeans · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com) Content: https://www.thetrendspotter.net/fashion-trends-spring-summer-2021/?fbclid=IwAR00c
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![Medieval Period (Part 1)-Sociopolitical System & women’s clothing]()
by Purba | Apr 25, 2021 | Fashion and sustainability |
Whenever we are asking which cloth makes you feel comfortable while you are travelling? An answer always passes through your head and you look down to your pair of jeans. Yes, there lies the answer!
Jeans are made of denim fabric a famous fabric for its durability. But have you ever thought weather your jeans are ecofriendly or not? Or have you ever wondered if the fabric was made is a different way to make it strong? May be you have or may be you haven’t. If you have then hope this article will provide you with a best answer!
Why Denim is considered as strong fabric?
Denim were made for gold miners as their fabrics needed to be strong enough and could handle the hazardous work they do. And Levi and Strauss first invented the denim that could hold its shape even after working in the mines or other hazardous work and it didn’t need frequent washing. It started blooming since then, Then it made debut as a film dress and become popular in cowboy movies and western movies.
Special weaving process and rivets to keep it from ripping made it strong than other clothes.
Picture: Factory beside a river. Courtesy: Photo by Linda Finkin on Unsplash
Why is it considered as a non eco friendly fabric?
Talking about denim’s being not an eco-friendly fabric, we can sort the problems in a numerical order and denim has got problem in every step of its way to processing from cotton to
finished fabric. Here are the problems described and I have also described how they can be reduced to minimum.
Cotton Cultivation Process:
Cotton plants need a lot of water to start with and even one of the most pesticide using plants. So they are polluting water and actually consuming a lot of water. Producing just 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cotton can require up to 7,660 gallons of water, depending on where it’s grown. So it’s a huge amount of water. Even workers who are working in the field are exposed to the chemicals that are used as pesticides.
Picture: Cotton. Courtesy: Photo by Amber Martin on Unsplash.
Dying process:
Dying process in the textile factory means dying the fabric with chemicals and colors as coloration process needs various chemicals to make the colors long-lasting. A series of chemicals are used to treat denim fabric and it’s colored with indigo color, a special color that lasts long enough to have the fabric
10/11 wash. 7.5 billion feet of denim fabric is produced every single year and they are repeatedly washed with water. A question may arise so what is the problem! We can use wasted water! But unfortunately we cannot do that as we have used the chemicals once and it has different ratio after one use. So the waters are wasted. It was noticed that Xintang, a town in southern China, the denim capital of word faced a disaster in 2013 . All of its rivers ran deep blue and smelled foul because the denim producers damped all the wasted water in the river.
Washing Process:
Washing denim is a process where a lot of chemical treatment is involved. While researching it was found that denim fabric contains heavy metal which can be disastrous for human life. After the pieces of denim is sewn together it is tossed into a variety of washing machine to gain the color or the faded color according to the trend and design.
So how to overcome this situation? Is there any solution to this problem? As human brain is the most sophisticated one, it has been searching for the solution for decades and a lot of solution has came forward. Let’s talk about that!
Hemp vs Cotton!
Hemp is often considered as a drug which is a miss conception. Levi the legendary brand of denim has found a technology to make hemp feel like cotton. They have blended 30% hemp and 70% cotton in their denim. Hemp produces fibers more than same amount of cotton and they need less amount of water to cultivate.
So it is a legendary step in the world of denim as denim is one of the most environment polluting industry in the world.
Courtesy: Photo by Rick Proctor on Unsplash.
Courtesy: Photo by Hanna Balan on Unsplash. Picture: Hemp vs Cotton.
Laundry system:
As we know the washing process need a lot of water so we need to reduce the amount of water. Some company has been trying to develop the environment. Pakistani denim company named Soorty has been trying to develoo a denim laundry system that is environment friendly and socially conscious. It has already invested to the most expensive wet denim processing plant in Pakistan. Later on they established A spinning space and in house recycling unit to recycle the wasted water.
This Industry needs to work altogether to reduces the effects and that’s why they made a joint effort in 2019 to go the greener way to reduce the pollution. The brands who have signed the commitment, they express their feeling as they are committed to creat a product or multiple products in adherence to the jeans redesign guideliness. Similarly, in fall 2020, Dutch and international brands signed the Denim Deal in Amsterdam, a pledge to reform and recycle jeans. The project, which is an initiative by House of Denim and the Dutch government, was started to create a circular economy and reuse more old denim garments.
Picture: Denim for future! Courtesy: Photo by Albany Capture on Unsplash.
It will continue as a debate topic that weather Denim is a fabric that we should put away or we should continue with it! But as long as I don’t have to wash my denim regularly and is made with latest ways, I am not leaving my most reliable “Friend Dress” Jeans!
Go green! Save the environment and wear jeans which are less hazardous to the environment!
By Team Bucolic Bohemian,
Mentor: Umme Memory Mim (Id: 2018-1-6-012) Dept: Textile Fashion & Design
Leader: Sabiha Moon Taha (Id: 2019-1-6-006) Dept: Textile Fashion & Design
Executive: Md. Mahmud Hosen (Id: 2020-1-2-006) Dept: Fabric Engineering
Reference:
If you want to read about a denim brand called Risen Jeans, you can go here! We’ve got you covered!
![Medieval Period (Part 1)-Sociopolitical System & women’s clothing]()
by Purba | Apr 24, 2021 | Top fashion news |
Nakshi Kantha is one of the most eminent and highly honoured folk arts of Bengal. The word Nakshi Kantha is deeply associated with the tradition of rural Bengal. In the rural houses of Bengal, women create these lushly embroidered quilts that have until recently gone unnoticed and unrecognized outside of the region. The people of this country have been using Nakshi Kantha for a very long time. These embroidered quilts have become an identity maker of the rural women, as they can find an opportunity to express desires, aspirations and sentiments through creative embroidered platform with the help of needles and threads.
History Behind Motifs of Nakshi Kantha
Although it is considered as a work of art for rural women, Nakshi Kantha art is associated with our socio-economic history and tradition. The life story of the kings, the battles, the myths, the love affairs of the men and women are mixed in every weaving of this art. Nakshi Kantha is a wonderful expression of the artistic mind of the women of the village. The embroidered surface of a Kantha contains a variety of folk motifs taken from the artisan’s locality. As the artisans are mostly from rural areas, the motifs are taken from nature, artisans everyday lives or something that they desire.
Bengal culture depicted on each motif.
Most of the motifs are selected mindfully and have their own meanings that carry semiotic importance as they represent an artisan’s self. Besides the multifarious motifs, the color, shape, texture, and size play important roles to convey the meaning and purpose of the craft.
Purpose & Uses
Different kinds of flowers, herbs, elephants, horses, birds, plows, boats, moon, stars, etc. are commonly noticed in these highly decorative artifact.This traditional art was practiced almost in every district of Bengal ; prominently in Rajshahi,Rangpur, Bogra, Pabna, Dinajpur, Kushtia, Faridpur, Jessore, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Cumilla and Sylhet.Because of the individuality of designs and stitches,kanthas are called by different names.Such as-
- Barka stitch
- Tejabi stitch
- Bamboo leaf stitch
- Kaito stitch
- Bichha stitch etc.
Animal & Floral motif.
Hence,the utilization of Nakshi Kantha can be multifunctional-it can serve as a blanket, coverlet, baby quilt,or prayer mat,as well as many other purposes,both religious and secular. And so, there are differences in their names according to usages.For instance, Lepkantha for winter, Bayatan for use on pillows, Asantha Kantha for sitting, Dastarkhana used for food, Jainamaz kantha for prayers etc.
Reflection of an Artisans Mindset
The rainy season lasts for a long time in Bengal. When it rains cats and dogs, Bengali women are mostlty seen passing the leisure time by sewing kantha with needle thread in the betel nut chat.In making of kantha,it requires crafting skill as well as traditional knowledge,as the skill is transferred from generation to generation without receiving any institutional training. Occasionally,the artisans adopt it subconsciously through following their female family members as a part of their household activity.To create a story on the surface of the kantha, the rural women are seen working on it from dawn to dusk. With incomparable skill, they make various designs on this decorative surface.
Beautiful Embroidery design. Courtesy: Bee-bd.com
For praising such amazing artifact and the dedication of the artisans,a dramatized bengali narritive named ‘Nakshi Kanthar Math’ was written by our very own ‘Palli Kabi’ Jasimuddin in 1929. After the publication of this narrative the word Nakshi Kantha became famous among the country people. We can surely recall some of the verses here-
“Spreading the embroidered quilt,
She works the lifelong night,
As if the quilt her poet were
Of her bereaved plight.
Many a joy,many a sorrow
Is written on its breast;
the story of Rupa’s life is there,
Line by line expressed.”
Beliefs & Chronicle Changes
Previously, the sentiments of the artisans were the key component to guide the process of making a Nakshi Kantha.
-The artisans’ religious belief used to be reflected in a traditional Kantha as well, depending on its intended use.
-Discarded clothes used to be the primary material for making Nakshi Kantha,as they were believed to remove the evil eye from newborn babies who were wrapped in them.
– In the rural areas, it was once a custom to give kantha to the bride at weddings as a token of love. In the evolution of time, Nakshi Kantha is no longer used for everyday use.
Though previously Kanthas were used to represent love and care for dear ones,in its present form it has assisted the artisans to empower themselves by using their traditional skills for commercial manufacturing of Nakshi Kantha. The multiple functions and meanings of these handcrafted textiles have not only allowed them to contribute to household use but also have furnished their place in history and now in the contemporary world, as they have moved into public spaces like art galleries, museums, exhibitions, and craft shops, as well as gaining a new role in personal use and even in works of literature.
Read our premium and trending article on The 21st century fashion
Rural women are making Nakshi Kantha together. Courtesy: Heifer International.
Conveying Tradition through Nakshi Kantha
Nakshi Kantha is very popular as a memento, and it is a medium through which recipients can stay attached to their origins. As there is no specific design for Nakshi Kantha sewing, one can pour ones heart out through this folkart. Many people with Bengali roots who live in different parts of the world have at least one Nakshi Kantha in their collection. Isn’t that great? At the same time, artisans have now come to see the making of Nakshi Kantha as a way of achieving economic independency. Due to its extraordinary aesthetics, it has already crossed the roadmap from a domestic craft to an extremely valued fashion object.
By Team Saturnine,
Mentor: Tanvir Ahamed Fahad; Id:2018-1-6-026
Leader: Atkia Faiza; Id:2019-1-6-020
Executive: Md. Asaduzzaman Ovi; Id:2020-1-6-020
Dept: Textile Fashion & Design
References:
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by Purba | Apr 20, 2021 | Academic |
From childhood, we dreamt to be invisible like Harry Potter with a magical cloak. But with modern technology & science is that really possible? Let’s check out its origin, adaptation & current scientific updates.
Origin of Invisible Cloak
The invisible cloak is mainly adapted from mythologic terms. It’s mainly a fictional theme which is mainly found in Welsh, German & in some cases probably in Greek myths. According to these myths using certain special cloaks, people can become invisible. However, these myths are mainly found through folklore & storytelling as there is no actual evidence of the existence of these kinds of fabric or cloak before.
Adaptation in fictional Literature & Entertainment
Ancient myths still inspire our art, culture, fashion & entertainment. The invisible cloak inspired a lot of things in the modern era or pre-modern era. A lot of fictional novels are based on these kinds of stuff. In the modern-day several movies & series adapted these mythological terms. Cloaks of Invisibility also existed in Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. The Hobbit series also adapted idea like invisible/magic cloak. The most interesting fact is most of the audience appreciated these mythological terms in entertainment & novel culture. However, getting inspired by fantasy, humans are now trying to create such stuff using modern technology & science.
Scientific Research & Technology
There is been a lot of work happening related to cloaking devices since 2006. Two scientists from Duke University made it possible to render an object invisible for the first time. The cloak was made of “Metamaterial”. It’s generally not found in natural materials. (Although the concept of Metamaterial started in 1967). That special cloak routed microwaves in such a way that makes our eyes emerge as if there is nothing or the object is invisible. However, the research continued more & scientists from Berkeley Lab & University of California added a new dimension to it. They believed that cloaking at optical frequencies is quite possible. At the beginning of 2011, they announced a new cloaking system that was effective in visible lights and can hide macroscopic objects. Natural birefringence of calcite was used in it. When we look at something, we identify its colour because it absorbs all the colour except for the colour that is associated with that object. The wavelength bounces of that object and goes into our eyes which is processed by our brain. So, to deceive our vision an invisibility cloak would have to stop reflecting light back from objects to our eye. By making the wavelengths of light avoid the objects one can do that. Similarly, some cloaking technology can divert wavelengths of light around the edges of an object instead of deflecting them back to our eyes. By this, our brain thinks absent of a certain object. The new cloak created by the University of California doesn’t curve light waves around the object, but reflects and diverts a malformed version of those wavelengths, and thus makes the object undetectable. They used a close-fitting “metasurface” which is made of a light-thin insulator material flecked with gold rectangles that absorb and then emit light waves in a way that eyes can’t identify. The material’s thickness is less than a micrometre as a result it can be wrapped around objects like skin. However, the latest cloaks advantage is that it can cover objects with neat sharp edges, which was proven highly challenging with cloaks in the past.
Problems that Scientists are facing
To create invisible cloaks scientists are facing a lot of problems. One of them is the high dispersive nature of these materials. Besides light passing through them sometimes gets partially absorbed. There is also some issue with movement. The movement of objects may create a problem with invisibility.
Latest Update
Although perfect cloaking is still impossible scientists are trying for its advancement throughout new compound or metal. detectors like microphones, radar or waves and sources such as loudspeakers can still identify object hidden with the latest cloaking tech. But scientists also expect to make perfect cloaking if a particular formula is used to calculate the signals to be fed to the sources. Currently, scientists are working with the metasurface concept in this technology.
Stealth Aircraft by the United States. Courtesy: Image by WikiImages from Pixabay
Current Use & Future Projects:
Although invisible cloaking’s core idea came from myths and fantasy it may be a useful and game-changing revolution for the world, especially in military tactics. Soldiers can disguise themselves with such kind of cloaks during the war. Even probably a whole bunch of arms, camps can be hidden using such technologies. Countries like the United States already working to manufacture stealth aircraft & it has been reported that the British army has also tested something like “Invisible tank”. However, researchers are excited about this new surface as It could eventually open doors to new exciting applications.
By Team Stalwart,
Mentor: Sumita Bhattacharja Joly (2018-1-6-007) Dept: Textile Fashion & Design
Leader: Shariful Islam Akash (2019-1-6-040) Dept: Textile Fashion & Design
Executive: Nashita Ahmed (2020-1-10-041) Dept: Environmental Science & Engineering
References:
As you seem to be both tech savvy and fashionista, you will enjoy our premium article on Textile in space: Flying up to reach the stars!
To know the biggest fashion trends of 21st century, you can visit here! Moreover, if you want to know the future of fashion industry after Covid-19, you can click here!
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Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion: A Case Study
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by Purba | Apr 19, 2021 | Top Trends |
Chapter of The New Beginning
Who would have thought a little virus would lock the whole world down and make significant changes in our lives? Apart from the drastic changes in socio-economic and political changes, the Covid-19 pandemic also hit hard in all Fashion Industries. Billions of dollars of clothing orders around the world have been cancelled. Considerable physical retailers have been closed. Global sales are decreasing as much as 60-70%. And as a consequence, these let to change people’s behavior, mindset and preferences in clothing. These changes will reinvent people’s fashion sense and reshape the fashion industry.
What was the fashion tale before Covid-19?
It is nonetheless in the spotlight that before Covid-19, top leading garment exporting countries, especially in Asia, made a huge hub for production of high volume of necessary clothing at a lower price. This issue also led our country to become the second largest garment exporter in the whole world with about $32.3 billion export products just in 2018. Furthermore, global luxury brands made high-quality expensive apparels to define the upper class. But of course, the ongoing pandemic changed the whole plot!
A Histogram on the pre-Covid era of the Asian garments industry in 2018.
Let’s have a look at how people’s sentiments and behavior will switch the fashion industry.
- People’s demand for sustainability and purposeful brands
From the beginning of pandemic, 54% of brand sustainability professionals felt there has been more demand on sustainable fashion. From Mckinsey, 57% of consumers said that they had made symbolic changes to their lifestyles to decrease their environmental impact. Shoppers will support brands with a purpose and their least possible concern will be sustainability.
As environmental impact is becoming a major concern for people, the post-pandemic era would give greater importance to natural and regenerated fibers. In modern days, aside from using cotton, wool- some countries are using lotus fibers to produce high quality clothing, cactus to produce leather. This mixed usage of common and underrated natural fibers could lead towards a more healthier fashion industry; satisfying both customer demand and new fashion trends.
- Beginning of multiple closed-loop in the industry!
The introduction to circularity in fashion industry is a much needed system for the post pandemic era! What does exactly multiple closed-loop serve to the customers? This system provides the reuse of raw materials from previous life cycle, also enables customers to not to throw away the apparels purchased from the previous season or trend. This can be done by redesigning old clothes and reinventing the production process for waste reduction.
- People like to grab simple clothing that is easy to wash
When people are busy with taking care of someone who is ill or busy with oneself to survive this pandemic, the household work is then quite a burden to them. Eventually, they will go for washable clothing like cotton, linen, washable silk and washable merino wool. But they will neglect beadwork and lace, fabrics like rayon or regular silk that shrink and get stained by water.
- Luxury would be neglected
In this ongoing pandemic, not only did people lose their close ones but also many of them are jobless specially in thriving countries. Hence, there will be a change in status for many after the pandemic. Many of the wealthiest women are dressing more simply than last year, as they felt luxury is in bad taste these days.
A depiction on people’s dream on luxury wear- now a past trend. Courtesy: Unsplash.
- Fashion trends will slow down
“People are going to be eager to buy stuff, if they can afford it. But I don’t think they will jump on something new. they’ll just want something that will be reassuming to them”, said Nancy Deihl, Director of costume studies at New York University. Many designers including Rick Owens, Donatella Versace, Guram Gvasalia have already looking forward to slowing down fashion and creating seasonless clothes. This means clothes will be designed in a manner where the garment themselves will not be outdated!
- We will be back in Love with House Dress!
At this time, nobody really knows how or when the pandemic will end and the fashion industry like every other business sector, is struggling to make it through. One thing is definitely certain though, everyone has changed their lifestyle. Quarantine has made people recover the enjoyment of staying indoor. Lockdown period may sound like bad news, but it also indicates that this period has made faster rise of a brand new apparel category: loungewear. Since, fashion is focusing on seasonless garments, loungewear is getting higher attraction. That means another cause of this is global lockdown made consumers opt for loungewear, with users staying home for long period of time and spending less money, traders can expect home wardrobes to become the new trend even after the pandemic. So, we can say that as staying in is becoming the new going out, loungewear may be a genuine challenge for every elegant fashion brand, like they’ll have to merge the raising market requests of comfort, flexibility, longevity and aesthetics.
A style of loungewear, perfect for staying indoor, job and socializing. Courtesy: Pexels.
For the pandemic people are spending most of their time into movies, tv series etc. They are getting influenced by the outfits of fashion projected on the movies. Since the lockdown influencers around couldn’t connect to people so much as they cannot go outside. So, after Covid there will be noticeable change of taste in fashion. We will get another type of fashion sense with a lot of creative ideas.
- Consumers will shop less, be picky when they do
As we all know, during this pandemic, the sentiments and behaviors of consumers also changed. After covid the situation would have a scenario where consumers would shop less and they will be picky for whatever they want to buy. Whereas whole spending will turn down, interest will expand in activewear, casualwear, beauty products and household categories, at the cost of such categories as handbags and formalwear. Rather of conspicuous consumption, people would think of inconspicuous spending.
- Online shopping at its best!
The pandemic has strived more shoppers than ever to move to the online route. It has made a new relationship with clothes through online marketing. The survey of online shopping shows that online purchases have increased 6% to 10% across most products, where fashion leaders also play a good role on clothing.
Fashion brands and retailers organize their online page so professionally that attracts the customer. Shopping clothes online gives everyone the chance to check over for various items in different stores at the same time, providing one with a big collection of clothing choices to select. If one store doesn’t satisfy with what you need, you can also check other stores for those items that you need just sitting in your comfy couch! And this will be very helpful after Covid. The best fashion ecommerce sites are Tabitha Simmons, Verge Girl, Natori, Olive Clothing, Revelry, The Mountain etc.
Online shopping- a new digital hope for brands, retailers and consumers. Courtesy: Pexels.
- Masks as the new fashion trend
This factor can easily be considered to be one of the most important changes that Covid-19 would show to us. For the certain future, we will all be encouraged to wear masks in situations where social distancing isn’t possible. Especially in countries like Bangladesh, where dust and micro-particles are constant threat to us, masks are a reliable source of safety. As masks become such an important part of our wardrobes, fashion has grabbed this opportunity to create innovative masks to make them vogue. Brands like Collina Strada, have made masks from tie-dye patterns overtop. Other brands such as Reinformation have started styling their campaign images with masks too, showcasing floral masks to match their sundresses. Though there are various types of masks like tie-dye, floral, printed, crystal, disposable and so on, masks made of cotton and other washable materials have got the real attention.
Printed masks- a possible new route towards successful business for the post-pandemic era. Courtesy: Unsplash.
Considering all the things, we can definitely say that this pandemic impacts almost every aspect of our lives. The fashion-retail sector is no less. This industry will mutate along with the change in consumer behavior and demographic causes. The retailers can, of course, grab onto these situations to change them into profitable opportunities by focusing on domiciliary opportunities that will help turn up business expectations in the COVID era and return the success of the fashion industry holds.
-Team Bespoke
Mentor: Tasphia Zaman (TFD 44, ID: 2018-1-6-009)
Leader: Khadiza Sharmin (TFD 45, ID: 2019-1-6-015)
Executive: Nahema Haque Khushe (TFD 46, ID: 2020-1-6-002)
References:
Image 1: https://unsplash.com/photos/iaSzwYccV28
Image 2: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—sro-bangkok/documents/publication/wcms_755630.pdf
Image 3: https://unsplash.com/photos/_3Q3tsJ01nc
Image 4: https://www.pexels.com/photo/light-man-love-people-6599077/
Image 5: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-black-android-smartphone-5076516/
Image 6: https://unsplash.com/photos/cBxYfvm0P_I
To know the biggest fashion trends of 21st century, you can visit here! Moreover, if you want to know the future of fashion industry after Covid-19, you can click here!
And if you want to read one of our premium case studies on Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion, you can go here!
Fast Fashion Vs Slow Fashion: A Case Study
You can also read our interesting and well researched article on: Architecture Fabric: The New Use of Textiles as A Building Material
![Medieval Period (Part 1)-Sociopolitical System & women’s clothing]()
by Purba | Mar 29, 2021 | Shout out |
In the journey of sustainability, Fashionnovation found a lot of like-minded and environmental friendly companies like Artientifique, a company that upcycles expired cosmetics and creates value added products. Reportedly, this is the first initiative in the world that utilized cosmetics for value added paintings. Fashionnovation communicated with the person behind this initiative and in this special article, brings the driving force behind her step to make the world a better place.
In this article, we will hear the story directly from the person behind ‘Artientifique’.
The background:
Once upon a time, a young girl was sitting at her dressing table and wondering what happens to the unwanted stock of expired makeup products, where does it go? There must be some stories that we don’t know, and she was firm to discover those.
The school girl started piling makeup from her peers, teachers and started creating wonderful paintings out of it. After years of practice and continuous improvement, she took her works live on social media. Do you know who is this girl? She is Aisha Javid Ali Mir, an Indian living in Madina city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, well-known for her passion for space science and sustainable school projects.
Aisha Mir with her collected raw materials that she will use for her amazing paintings.
Sustainable Innovation, which helps us revive our nature’s beauty and perform our duty as a responsible global citizen. This would be a guilt-free investment in the art sector which would redefine our mindset towards environment-friendly products and encourage us to recognize them as our top priority.
Aisha creates exclusive paintings by upcycling old and expired cosmetics, this is her effort to save our home planet earth from marine biodiversity degradation. This initiative’s name is Artientifique, the name she signs her paintings with on the frames. Aisha says
“It basically means a person who practices art and science simultaneously, as I’m solving a scientist’s challenge in an artistic way, so I name myself an Artientifique.”
Painting done by Aisha Mir using expired makeup products. Photo courtesy: Aisha Mir, Artientifique.
What motivates you?
When I first started painting using old and expired cosmetics, I had one goal which is I want to see my planet full of life once again, fascinating and beautiful as if it got a makeover! I was the first artist globally to take cosmetic waste sticky, melting, and dry products from people and recreate them in an eco-friendly way to create paintings. The process and the cause were my crucial motivators that gave me momentum to continue and work harder to prevent more cosmetics from reaching the landfills.
What is your aim?
My aim through Artientifique is to showcase how beautiful and durable upcycled art can be, I want to redefine our mindset towards sustainable art, I want to show that they are way different than the conventional ideas of recycling.
How do you prepare such lovely works?
A lot of preventive measures while working with discarded cosmetics are required. I wear gloves, cover my nose if required, making sure no waste residues are left. Every cosmetic container like bottle or tube or palette needs to be cleaned first before upcycling the material inside it so that it becomes germ-free and safe to use.
I have separate dedicated tools which are not mixed with other regular tools, for extracting the material, designing motives, creating new textures, intensifying the color, and improving their durability. While working with one or two products, you may not feel the need to do all these, after all, it is your own makeup and you know its condition. But when I work in my art studio, I have to handle kilos of cosmetics, literally big boxes full of oozing foundation, and leaking nail paint, broken shadow palettes, and dry kohl. But when these products are given a new life as an exclusive painting to adorn our walls, they again demonstrate us that beauty is everywhere, we just need to search for it and value its presence.
Any food for thought for the readers?
I would like to end this with a food for thought. Please ponder on this question- while we are so concerned about what we put on our faces, shouldn’t we also think once what are we putting on our home planet’s surface?
You can reach out Aisha Mir at artientifique@gmail.com or follow her on Instagram: @artientifique_official and her website: https://www.artientifique.org.
If you have any initiative like Aisha Mir or have to say something to the world, feel free to contact us and get featured in Fashionnovation! oUR EMAIL ADDRESS: FASHIONNOVATIONFD@GMAIL.COM
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