Earthan
A conceptual speculation on the life, growth & decay of fashion
MOHAMMAD BAAZIM - DESIGN THESIS -FASHION & PRODUCT DESIGN
Earthan - Design Thesis
Mohammad Baazim 190359 Product & Fashion Design Fall 2022 +971 56 831 1531 baazimdesign@gmail.com
DIDI, Dubai United Arab Emirates
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank the astounding faculty at DIDI, especially Dr. Carlos Montana and Dr. Gionata Gatto, I am forever grateful for your guidance. Noorin Khamisani, thank you for enlightening me on the power of creating responsibly. Arousha Solhijouei, I am greatly appreciative of your help. This project would not have happened without your support and guidance.
Juuni-Gatsu, thank you for being there for me. Your impact is beyond your recognition.
My dear friends, my chosen family. This would have been a much more difficult journey without you, thank you for being there for me.
My beloved parents, my sisters, and my brother, thank you. Your constant support of me was what sustained me this far. I will never be able to repay you.
1. Abstract
The study at hand exists at the conceptual intersection of the issues surrounding Fashion –a scenario put forth which speaks to the material and environmental problems the fashion industry has been facing during the last century.
Following an investigation of the negative impact of the fashion industry on the environment, the study highlights the importance and relevance of fashion as a medium of self-expression, its undeniable valorization in human civilizations immemorial along with its effect on multiple aspects of our lives from mental health to planetary impact. The literature review is an attempt at deconstructing the myth of sustainable fashion and looking beyond the gimmicks of greenwashing and the unadorned traditional fashion system, to view fashion as a form of Second Skin; an extension of our way of being in the world. This research underlines the primacy of materiality in fashion production and expression, and puts into perspective an array of alternative materials and methods that would shift the fashion industry towards a system that is more harmonious with our planet and therefore ourselves. The
primary objective is to create a fully biodegradable collection and a scenario that would explore and reflect these findings. As the collection reflects on life as well as decay and death, earthan deploys memento mori as a design principle - to amplify one of the intentions behind Earthan, which is to embrace the wear and transformation of fashion in an organic harmony with nature. The collection is inspired by the circle of life, from birth and growth to decay. The presented project holds the intention of normalizing unconventional materials, steering away from the traditional fashion system and towards a more biological one, in view of advancing new methods, techniques, and technologies that are more conscious of our environment, and that would allow dwellers to develop a more passionate relationship with our planet through fashion, and vice versa. There is a discrepancy between the importance and relevance of fashion and how we are currently exploring, manufacturing, and designing fashion. This research sheds light on the potential of the fashion industry as a medium of self-expression that is not a monopolized economic system with planetary impact.
2. Introduction
2.1 Motivation
The motive of this research was brought about in response to the often limiting and uni-dimensional environmental criticisms about the fashion industry as it exists today (Niinimäki et. Al., 2020).
It can be argued that fashion stems from a form of human creativity, craft and as a non-verbal language which is constantly transforming in response to its context. Subsequently, it has the potential to not only improve the quality of human life but also expand our conceptions of ourselves and the world around us. In an attempt to overcome the environmental obstacles of producing and consuming fashion at the planetary scale we are witnessing today (Bick, 2018), this study examines a radical approach to fashion through exploring the untapped potentials of alternative bio-materials, techniques, design conceptions and approaches.
Since my youth, I have viewed nature in a romanticized way due to the constant awe of its all-encompassing beauty and balance it has on me. One childhood ritual which might have fostered this romanticization in me early on was
one in which my mother and I would shop for new plants at the local garden shop each Friday. I fondly recall the entrancement I felt as a child when watching documentaries with her on wildlife animals. Learning about their extinction, like that of the Northern White Rhino species in 2018, would evoke in me deep heartache. This fascination and compassion for nature grew into a parallel awareness of sustainability issues and our planetary impact as humans. Among my favorite artworks is Bosch’s whimsical 1503 “Garden of Earthly Delights” [Figure 1], which to me depicts a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature in the first wing of Eden. A utopian future can only be created responsibly, in contrast to the recklessness we have been displaying as a species thus far. Indeed, the guiding axiom to ‘create responsibly’ was first introduced to me in the early stages of my academic journey at DIDI, by Professor Noorin Khamisani. Just as sustainability remains a major motif in the institutes’ curriculum, the topic swiftly became a core consideration in my own work and design philosophy.
2.2 Research Scope
It can be said that the fashion industry is an incredibly impactful one; it is embedded within a broad system that leaves a mark on various aspects of our lives, whether that be environmental, economical or even psychologicalby virtue of the global and incessant consumption patterns of our societies.
Fashion as a form of expression is directly associated with how one presents themselves on a micro scale (spatially and temporally speaking - in daily, inperson interactions), being the most immediate or perceptible personification of one’s self and can define a specific time period or whole era on a macro scale (be it in decades, centuries, cities or regions).
Caroline Stevenson, head of cultural and historical studies at London College of Fashion states, “Fashion is a potent visual marker of our times, trend analysis of any given era will reveal
society’s values and aspirations” (Jacobs, 2020). The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world (Niinimäk, 2020) and its environmental impact is increasing along with its vast growth. However, there are approaches and other courses of action oriented to diminishing systematic flaws which lead to the negative environmental impacts that are a result of the fashion industry.
Moreover, in the context of responsible creation (and consumption), one cannot underestimate the role of materiality. While a number of variables are at play in the design of garments, and might include the cut or silhouette, the color or pattern, above all materiality can be considered among the key defining features of a piece of fashion. In design terms, materiality determines a garments’ behavior - and thus might inform design decisionswith its physical properties dictating its movement in relation to the human body, and its changing appearance or behavior over time. Environmentally, materiality determines durability, biodegradability,
or toxicity. Economically speaking, materiality might entail more or less expensive production costs; these needing to be considered relative to hidden or longer term ones. Earthan is an experimental conceptualisation that contemplates new materials and techniques which the challenges of the twenty-first century call for. For both the consumption and creation of fashion to be effectively put into question, its materiality cannot go unexamined.
Indeed, given the awareness of these planetary impacts, it has become clear that there is an immense need to deconstruct the culture of consumerism in order to build better habits regarding our clothes (Mukherjee, 2015). Normalizing traditionally unconventional materials can be seen as an approach capable of leading to re-think the current fashion system. This project looks at ways to embrace fashion as a form of Second Skin that should work in harmony with – as opposed to against - our nature.
“Fashion is a potent visual marker of our times, trend analysis of any given era will reveal society’s values and aspirations.”
3. Literature Review
3.1. FASHION RELEVANCE: SOCIETY, IDENTITY, AND OUR ‘SECOND SKIN’
On a personal scale, it is possible to have a very intimate relationship with fashion, whether that is intentional or unintentional; every day we choose an outfit that communicates nonverbally to those around us. As humans and garments engage in a complex relationship, fashion becomes Second Skin to our bodies when it is worn.
We need clothes to shelter and express ourselves along with garments that need to fulfill their purpose of sheltering us while being a medium of self-expression. Although fashion has its impact on our mental state and aesthetic, it is often the aesthetic facet that is covered when discussing fashion. In perceiving fashion solely as aesthetic, abandoning the clothes as an extension of ourselves, strips the clothes complex relationship to ourselves and deprives fashion of its potential at being an industry that is in a harmonious relationship with its wearer. In order to change the view on fashion’s supposed superficiality, we must view fashion as a form of Second Skin; an extension of our existence.
The story of Adam and Eve [Figure 2] uses the symbolism of clothing versus nakedness to portray the shift in consciousness in human history; mankind’s awareness of its vulnerability and new found humility in the face of it. Looking at this through the lens of Second Skin, clothing can be understood as an embodied new phase in civilisation, one in which our cultural and appropriated skin comes to distinguish and define us as a manifestation of our consciousness.
We can interpret the clothes we wear as a personal projection that is capable of giving us some control over the way we wish people to perceive us — as the closest to how we perceive ourselves and how we feel. According to Dittrich (2019), specific articles of clothing influence the wearer’s performance and psychology. “Enclothed cognition” is a term coined by researchers for when clothes that are symbolic can influence our psychological state. What we choose to wear and what those articles of clothing symbolize have a massive impact on our mental state (Dittrich, 2019).
Moreover, clothes can act as our Second Skin by taking on the role of a retreat or source of comfort for the wearer; much like one finds solace in one’s home, our clothing become a part of the safety of our home we transport with into the world, by virtue of fashion’s ability to be used as a shield or protection (physical or ideological).
The alternative materialities of Earthan welcome us to conceive of our clothes as more a part of ourselves in their organicism, fragility and finitudea veritable skin which breathes and restores itself, possessing layers of protection from the elements and sources of self-renewal. This philosophy of clothing stands in stark contrast to the rise in synthetic fabrics pertaining to a conception of humans which is in line with the cyborg - part biological and part digital, plastic, metallic, robotic. While the former entails a closed and selfmaintaining cycle of creation, the latter might be comparable to the unfettered growth of waste and disposability.
Fashion constitutes part of human culture and a veritable language in its own right (Hermsen, 2004). In an extensive publication of fashion trends from ancient civilizations, including Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, Roman, and African, authors Sara and Tom Pendergast disprove the notion that fashion is selfindulgent, egotistic or somehow reserved for privileged elites. On the contrary, it constitutes a tool for us to use in a social, psychological and biological sense. Far from being a mere tool for status seeking, the essence of fashion stems from the act of clothing our bodies yet also conveying a personal identity to oneself which enables the sense of belonging to a sect of social groups and values as this tale is quite evident as early as civilization began to develop. Present in all human civilisations, Fashion has been used to make sacred certain rituals, ceremonies, or communal events, with specific dress codes pertaining to an activity or a state of mind.
Moreover, what we wear can also be interpreted as a representation of our
psyche and what we wish to communicate. Attire in which do not line up with one’s values, beliefs or essence could lead to dispute, causing mental uneasiness along with cognitive dissonance (Dittrich, 2019). In a time where we could easily be influenced by someone else’s style, especially due to the diffusion of social media, one could swiftly detach from his/her own values and beliefs. This subsequently leads to the act of losing touch of one’s ‘Second Skin’. The fashion industry often dismisses the extent that clothes and mental health could go hand in hand (Dittrich, 2019), and society is not fully aware of fashion’s impact on our mental health. It is crucial in our time to be mindful of that gap and to be more in tune with our Second Skin.
3.2. Fashion Impact: Sustainability
Given the challenges posed not only by climate change and untethered human consumption, but also the necessity to overcome the greenwashing mentioned above, Earthan acknowledges that plausible solutions are yet to be robustly elaborated by the industry and our society more generally. By shedding light on these issues and addressing them through the research process, Earthan acts as a stepping stone in the right direction and not a finite answer to the problem (a complex and multi-variable one).
Public awareness about waste production and environmental degradation caused by the manufacturing and consumption of clothing has grown in recent years. This ties into giving thanks to educational initiatives which have diffused and popularized this topic to the internet. Examples of these include documentaries such as The True Cost (2015) and
3.2. Fashion Impact: Sustainability
River Blue (2016). While calling out the irresponsible practices of megacompanies who treat fashion as a means of maximum profit-gain, certain of the solutions presented in the mainstream discussion fail to acknowledge fashion’s true value in human culture, beyond existing as a superficial trend or object of mass consumption. This adds onto how the importance of consumers and policy makers to expose and regulate these practices cannot be fully comprehended.
In particular, the proposed ‘solutions’ of adopting a minimal wardrobe, decreasing consumption to bare necessities, and viewing clothing in purely utilitarian terms (The True cost, 2015) – in effect denying ourselves the freedom and inconsistency of self-expression – while effective in theory, cannot be seen as the only necessary trade-off to address the issues of environmental waste and degradation caused by the fashion industry. An approach which considers fashion’s full role in our societies as well as mitigates its destructive impact must be formulated, as this thesis will attempt to put forward. The visionary work of Iris van Herpen, is a testament to the bold forms ‘green’ fashion can take. It began with the implementation of robotic fabrication methods into the creation of fashion.
Moreover, according to Carlston (February 2015), her Spring/Summer 2021 collection utilized aspects of upcycled marine waste and incorporated it into her designs. This medium used is known to be particularly detrimental to ecosystems. Yet, it was implemented into her unique, other-worldly designs [Figure 3]. This collection makes the point that fashion need not sacrifice its power or expressive functions when operating in planet-friendly terms.
For the past quarter of a decade, there have been countless failed attempts at reducing the fashion industry’s planetary impact. This includes biobased materials to even business models that emphasize aspects of recycling, mending and even renting. General society has been especially interested in ‘Greenness’ for the past decade (Pucker, 2022). This general awareness of how different industries have an impact on our planet did not halt the fashion industry from reaching a point of no return regarding environmental pollution and where time is of the essence.
A seamless shift to an ethical and environmentally conscious fashion industry is needed more than ever. Although there have been countless
attempts at making that shift, a lot of these attempts failed. Adding onto this, with each failed attempt, society in parallel with the fashion industry, develops a subconscious negative connotation that is associated with the concept of sustainable fashion. We are at a point where as much as we are aware of making a sustainable shift, the concept of sustainable fashion is becoming tired and gimmicked. This leads to Greenwashing, one of the sustainable fashion industry’s biggest flaws as marketing fashion is deemed as sustainable when it is not. (Pucker, 2022)
Fashion houses are deliberately investing in more sustainable solutions and alternatives with a lower environmental footprint. The market for low carbon resources and solutions is currently evaluated at 4.2 trillion euros (European Commission, 2019). Regardless of these investments and society’s general awareness of the fashion industry’s impact, issues still arise. The fashion industry is still as unsustainable as ever and now, on a macro scale, the planet is being heavily affected by it. Even with the beneficial effect of a green business strategy such as zero waste modules and businesses that promote recycling or upcycling and their positive impact on both the fashion industry and our planet, a trial is posed. Fashion houses plainly market their more positive effect, while overlooking the polluting actions of their brand. Delmas and Burbano (2011) give a definition of greenwashing as
follows, “Greenwashing is defined as the intersect of two firm behaviors: poor environmental performance and positive communication about environmental performance” (Sundbotten, 2021), For the fashion industry to move forward in a sustainable route, an ecological business model needs to be in effect and as a society we need to acknowledge that less unsustainable fashion does not translate to sustainable fashion. As the fashion industry is weaved into a broader system, the greenwashed attempts sustaining our Second Skin need to be reconsidered while shedding light on flawed sustainable gimmicks.
It can be argued that in perceiving fashion as an extension of ourselves lies a sizable amount of the solution to most of the problems in the fashion industry. The effect that fashion has on our mental health and the impact that it has on the environment are reasons to seek harmony between the fashion industry, humanity and our environment. The Fashion industry with its past and current trends of garments manufactured, are flawed. This is due to its banality, resistance to change and wastefulness. One way of finding harmony between society and fashion lies in the opportunity of engaging biological systems. This might contribute to closing the loop of used resources, adapt to change, emit zero waste, and produce with local materials.
is defined
behaviours:
“Greenwashing
as the intersect of two firm
poor environmental performance and positive communication about environmental performance”
3.3. Alternative Materials
Materials and resources are a vast facet of the fashion industry. From sourcing to manufacturing and shipping, there is an immense scope that follows for unsustainable behavior and actions. A material such as Cotton, for example, is a highly water-exhaustive plant that is typically marketed as sustainable due to its ‘organic’ nature. According to McFall-Johnsen, a pair of jeans’ production process -from resourcing to manufacturing- takes around 2000 gallons (about the volume of a storage unit) of water (McFall- Johnsen, 2020). This amount of water is enough for an individual to drink eight cups of water for ten years. Additionally, reported in the same article, according to a report from IUCN in 2017, synthetic textiles such as nylon and polyester are responsible for an estimate of 35% of microplastics in the ocean. These examples demonstrate that so-called organic materials could be responsible for just as much planetary
damage as synthetic materials. It may be deemed as sustainable, however through the manufacturing processes that correspond with the medium of cotton, this illustrates how the bigger picture is not being demonstrated nor depicted accurately.
3.3.1 Mycelium
There is an array of alternative materials that we can opt for in the fashion industry and while dwelling on these materials to find perfect harmony, fashion houses can become more coordinated with the biological system that is heavily influenced by the materials’ origins. The organism spectrum of Fungi for instance, are nature’s foremost recyclers. Fungi produces enzymes that decay organic matter and transform it into minerals through enzymatic properties and breakdown. Similarly with the analogy of an iceberg, the part of the fungus that is visualized sprouting from earth is only a
small portion of its entirety. Underneath the visible surface are networks of thin roots called mycelium. Mycelium has been used in architecture as a building material and has been experimented with for use as a textile for quite some time. With that being said, heavy setbacks take place when one utilizes these bio-based materials. For one, the materials are stamped with heavy financial restrictions as they are coupled with lengthy costs. Harvard Business Review argues that bio-based materials are plagued by high initial costs which are relative to well-established alternatives that benefit from scale economies (Pucker, 2022). It is acknowledged that although mycelium makes for a resilient bio-based alternative, we are still at exceedingly initial stages of what is possible (Jordan, 2021). There is still a grant amount of exploring and growth that needs to take place and subsequently, with these discoveries can enable the more optimal usage of mycelium as a fashion textile.
3.3.2. Bioplastics
Considering sustainable fashion, there has been a recent fascination with bioplastics and their potential uses whether as an alternative to synthetic materials, disposable articles of clothes or for packaging. Bioplastics are materials
that stem from renewable sources that decompose back into earth. Opting for bioplastics could be great for an array of reasons. One of which is that it requires raw materials that are degradable or renewable. The supplies that are needed to develop bioplastics such as corn, algae or sugarcane are only as limited as the industry’s agricultural capacity, which allows the synthetic materials industry to shift away from depending on fossil fuels. However, the fashion industry needs to be extremely cautious, especially when promoting bioplastics as the focal aspect of the future of sustainable fashion to avoid greenwashing and promoting bioplastics as the sole solution to the flawed fashion industry. The issues with the fashion industry are not only in relation to the materials and sources that are used, but a part of the problem is also systemic; the only way bioplastics could be a potentially sustainable longterm alternative to synthetic materials is by extensively decreasing consumption.
One pertinent example of bio-plastic use in fashion is the Algae dress created by designer Phillip Lim in collaboration with industrial designer Charlotte McCurdy (Hahn, February 2021). The pair brought to life a petroleum-free dress that is adorned with bio-plastic sequins, made from marine microalgae. [Figure 4] According to the designers, the sequined dress perfectly grounds their stance on sustainable fashion. Lim (Hahn, 2021) put it succinctly when stating that ‘It is not just a de-saturated version of the present, it is not just about reducing, getting smaller, and sacrificing. It is about transformation. And change is frightening but it is coming one way or the other’ (Hahn, 2021).
Also based in developments in algae materials, Valdis Steinarsdottir (2021) worked with a similarly translucent foldable material using agar – a gelling agent derived from red algae. Presented as part of the Design March event in Iceland (Hahn, May 2021), her jelly clothing ‘can be melted down to create new garments’ once they are worn down or no longer needed. We hardly think of our clothes as things to be melted, but the closed loop system presented here allows for that re-conception in materiality [Figure 5].
3.4.3. Bacteria
The global textile industry is responsible for a lengthy list of negative planetary impacts. The main environmental effects that stem from the textile industry result from the expulsion of the by-waste of the dyeing process (Lellis et al., 2019). Textile dyes are highly soluble in water, which makes it difficult to eliminate them with conventional methods (Lellis et al., 2019). Clorifix, a UK biotech company, has explored modern technology to dye textiles without any planetary impact. According to Colorifix’s CEO, Orr Yarakoni, this new technique uses biotechnology and bacteria to dye fabrics while eliminating toxic chemicals from the equation and using 90% less water than conventional methods of dyeing fabrics (Duong, 2020). Bacteria could also be used as a fabric alternative if paired with bioplastic or latex, as they are highly efficient at swiftly absorbing moisture from the skin, which could be employed for sportswear [Figure 6] (Peterson, 2016).
4. Proposition
This project involves the design and putting into effect of a collection that reimagines the personal relationship between the wearer and his/her clothes, while simultaneously exploring a new system in the fashion industry. Taking inspiration from the cyclical nature of life (from birth to growth to decay), the collection will explore biodegradable materials with organic features that will grow, thrive, and eventually decay, exploring fashion under the lense of longevity. The project imagines a world where fashion has multiple lives, and proposes an array of varied materials, crafts and silhouettes that would sustainably serve and aid the dweller. A statement fashion collection that requires care and effort for it to fully come alive to serve its purpose as a medium for selfexpression and finally decay, all while exploring varied materials and forms at different points of its “life”.
The project is called Earthen and holds the intention of facilitating selfexpression in sustainable ‘fashion,’ while
developing a level of appreciation and fondness that we are not familiar with in the fashion industry. This proposition tackles sustainability in fashion; from materiality to form. Embracing life, from growth to decay. The proposed outcome in the scope of this thesis is a collection of works exhibited through an art installation.The installation is designed to convey that fashion made of alternative bio-materials -rather than being manufactured and passively consumed by the user, can trigger new processes of effect. For instance, it can be nurtured and grown to serve its purpose in changing ways throughout the materials’ life cycle –taking on varying colors, textures, and silhouettes with the passage of time, or even decaying into phases of distinct garments.
Echoing the inter-connected and woven subterranean root system of grass, designer Diana Scherer (Hyper Rhizome, 2020) beautifully grafted plant roots into structures fabrics for a collection of
organic gowns and dresses exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Scherer, 2020) [Figure 7]. Scherer’s work speaks to the contradictory strength and vulnerability of certain bio-materials; while the roots form a functional structure in their delicate interweaving, they make up a new kind of memento mori in their finitude (a reminder of mortality). Additionally, the root gowns constitute a transitory and transformative fashion. One may conceive of the possibilities of layering for growth (structural meshes under organic interweaving) as well as texture inversions in such garments.
In the same vein, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum exhibited in 2021 the work of design-pair ‘Auroboros’ [Figure 8], who created a bio-inspired interactive installation which changes shape while adapting to the human body. The design deals with repurposed material waste, creating a reactive salt-crystal solution which changes as a response to alterations in the surrounding environment. The resulting crystals grow and fall off the gown with the passage of time. As author Finney elaborates, ‘’ [This mimicking] of nature’s life-cycle occurs as the gown exists in an entirely ephemeral state; in which the process of growth is fleeting,
reminding us to cherish the beauty of burgeoning life before its eventual end’’ (Finney, November 2021). While not necessarily intended as actual clothing, the art piece merges elements of fashion, bio-materials, life cycles, the passage of time, all while creating a space for discussion around fashion. Thus, the conception of this alternative fashion might not necessarily be wearable as such and can be thought of as a work of art.
4.1. Effect
Considering aspects as decay and ephemerality, Earthan can be understood as a way of encouraging the dweller to question and even let go of former ideas of material possession and self-display in society, in exchange for a more humble and therapeutic philosophy of clothing which may pertain to the seasonality of life itself. This humility and therapy would stem from both the simple enjoyment of fashion coupled with the peaceful acceptance of its decay in time, despite cherishing its flourishing. This requires a certain humility and detachment from the ego, both of which are also evoked in memento mori and vanitas paintings.
Earthan Fashion, which requires the care and attention of the consumer, can additionally embed itself into both the daily and seasonal rituals of the user, expanding the notion of the daily clothing ritual which is already part of our everyday.
Through this bold and novel elaboration of an alternative materiality and conceptual framework, Earthan puts an emphasis on the process of making fashion which encompasses its resourcing, design, production, consumption, maintenance and discarding - turning this entire process into a kind of
ritual which embeds itself in the organic, robust qualities of the earth itself while also emphasizing on our relationship with fashion. Several examples of this initiative have already been put forth by professionals in the fashion industry and beyond.
Beckfeld and Hehemeyer-Curten presents one notable example with their ‘temporary bag’ entitled Sonnet155. Made of pectin from waste fruit peels, a bioplastic referred to as fruit leather (Hahn, April 2021) [Figure 9]. The concept of a bag which is soluble in water and can easily be recycled or composted, indeed aligns with the intentions of Earthen. While personal hand bags are often worn as a status symbol (the likes of Hermes Birkin bags made of alligator skin), this radical material approach requires the consumer to adopt a humbler attitude towards their fashion, learning to let go of material attachment in the face of time and decay. Moreover, this consumption philosophy also instills a certain hopefulness about the multiple lives and cyclical renewal of fashion (and life).
5. Memento Mori
5. MEMENTO MORI: REMEMBER WE MUST DIE
“Memento mori” translates to “Remember that we must die.” (The Art of dying: Memento mori through the ages - Google Arts & Culture, 2022) The practice of memento mori holds the earnest possibility to inspire one to live a better life - this being the primary purpose of the reminder, rather than being a grim assertion of fact of life. Although being aware of the passing of time and acknowledging the end of our days seems more grotesque than purposeful, contemplating death is crucial as it allows one to cherish our sacred time in this life - as well as reconsider our actions and life’s course more intentionally. (Wellman, 2020) We are privileged enough to live in a time where it is not often that we encounter death as an up close and personal experience. Unlike past civilizations, our present world is constructed in a way where not only do we expect, but demand a longer life. From technologies to pharmaceutical inventions that allow us a better and healthier life, it is evident that we live in negation that one day we will die. (George, 2015)
Much like the entertainment industry, the fashion industry puts youth on a pedestal and shuns aging and its manifestations - these are but one expression of our culture’s so called “ageist” attitudes. In the scope of this thesis and its conceptual questioning of many of the status quos of fashion, this ageism and avoidance of the fact of death will be brought to light in considering the impact of Earthan. The reminder we get from Memento Mori symbolism works against this trend. Moreover, it puts forward the consideration that our clothes are not merely material and permanent objects of consumption but items which possess their own life cycle and span based on their wear and materiality. Beyond their decay, there exists also their repurchasing, repurposing, and re-design - all potential forms of renewal. Leaning into this life cycle and process of decay can inform new ways of making and wearing Fashion.
The concept of memento mori has been explored as an art genre since the seventeenth century. (ART TERM:
Memento Mori, 2014) A traditional memento mori painting would depict a skull along with other symbolic figures such as an hourglass, a flower, a rotting fruit, or a butterfly. (Memento Mori: Remember That You Must Die, 2020) Hence, Fashion creations pertaining to Earthan may possess similar symbolic significance, and can be considered as Memento Mori which are displayed in an exhibition to act as a contemplation space. (This can make it disruptivebringing a reminder of death into the casual realm of the public.) Closely related to memento mori, are the vanitas still life paintings, which goes beyond just the reminder of death but to also address vanity in the sense of worthlessness of the worldly pleasures. (Vanitas Painting: Still Lifes with Biblical Message, 2013) Although these painting genres were popular at a religious age when everyone’s perspective on life was solely a preparation for the afterlife; modern artists continue to explore these genres in different mediums of art. (Stewart, 2019) Again, this related concept of vanitas can be tied to the
topic Earthen addresses by crushing the material attachment to Fashion as it is typically consumed.
5.1. Memento Mori: A Design Approach
Philippe de Champaigne’s 1671 Vanitas [Figure 11] is a vanitas painting that attempts to convey the indispensable futility of earthly goods. The painting shows a flower, a skull and an hourglass which symbolizes the inevitable death and the passing of time which are motifs that are commonly used as symbols in memento mori paintings as well. The skull is often considered to be the most straightforward symbol to convey egotism. signifying not only the skull’s transitoriness or impermanence but that of the viewer’s and the entire human race, while gazing into the skull’s deep black sockets. (Keizer, 2013)
Gucci’s 2019 cruise collection [Figure 12] is a prime example of the concept of memento mori trickling down to different fashion houses over the past
years. The designer of the collection, Alessandro Michele had a pastiche approach to exploring the concept in his collection through beaded skeletal busts and a more straightforward approach such as text on a pair of skinny trousers (Source). Designer Elsa Schiaparelli who is known for merging art and fashion through technique and collaboration, also elaborated on the idea with her skeleton dress. However, all these examples purely serve for aesthetic purposes and lack depth into the concept of memento mori. The truth is that the fashion industry is crippled with limited viewpoints that disregard the afterlife of many fashion items; very much like the symbolism of a peeled lemon in many vanitas paintings, the fashion industry may be elusive and glamorous but all that glamor is rarely thought of as circular or sustainable.
As mentioned before, we often perceive fashion as merely an aesthetic and devalue it from being a complex entity that we have a back-andforth relationship with. According to (Thompson & Haytko, 2007) the fashion
industry reacts heavily to consumption culture; fashion is now growing at an unsustainable pace where disposing of fashion items is often disregarded. Conspicuous consumption refers to the purchase of goods as a display of one’s social status or wealth (Hristova, 2012). Although fashion is a self-expression medium, when associating fashion directly with one’s image, we refuse to take notice of the many impacts of the fashion industry. because we often do not think of the “death” of a garment, and we perceive fashion as materialistic possessions, Earthan holds the intention of exploring the idea of memento mori as a design approach; to emphasize on the idea of garments fulfilling their purpose to then being disposed of, sustainably. The collection also seeks to normalize letting go of your garments, whether to donate them, recycle them or mend them to create a completely new garment. Our attitude towards fashion should be inclusive of its whole journey, we should be at peace with letting go of fashion when we need to, sustainablyJust as the reminder of death in Art has
been a call to lead grounded life which is meaningful beyond materiality, the life and death of our fashion and its embodied message of Memento Mori in Earthen should serve as a catalyst for changing culture’s perception of clothes and our consumption of them. Accepting death as an inevitability of life, and possessing a humility and awareness of the vanity of status and its self-display, are key steps to approaching a slower and more nurturing Fashion.
5.1. Memento Mori: A Design Principal
Taking inspiration from memento mori as an art genre and Elsa Schiaparelli’s design approach at addressing memento mori, Earthan will nod to the art movement through silhouettes and material manipulation - beyond its more obvious connection in the decay of the progressive bio-materials used. Keeping in mind that most of the patterns must lay flat for the seeds to grow on, a lot of the silhouettes seek to have the least number of seams possible. Look number one [Figure 13] is inspired by the shape of an hourglass that decays into a fitted bioplastic corset dress while the skirt and structured bust jacket are made of seeded organic felted wool. The transformation of the garment through time allows it to not only become an object with a beginning and end, but something closer to ourselves and our human lives, all of which transform and are in a constant state of change. Look number two [Figure 14] however, is a more straightforward translation of Memento Mori through the
visual queue of an abstracted skeleton on a streamlined mock neck dress. The skeleton figure is communicated through the sprouting of red radish seeds as they will contrast in color and in texture with the green chia sprouts.
[Figures 13 & 14] Earthan process sketches
15 & 16] Earthan illustration post-decay
Being at the cusp of the fourth industrial revolution, Earthan is designed to evolve seamlessly into the fifth industrial revolution. The fifth industrial revolution merges digital, physical, and biological technologies for greater societal and environmental well-being (Noble et al., 2022). According to Randy Ginsburg, Morgan Stanley predicts that by 2030 the digital fashion market could be worth fifty billion dollars (Ginsburg, 2022). Digital tools in fashion eliminate an array of unsustainable steps present in the purely manual or physical process of conventional fashion design or fashionmaking. For example, a crucial part of fabricating garments is pattern-making, which relies heavily on a protracted process of trial and error. Digital fashion softwares such as CLO 3D allows one to design patterns and test them with little to zero material waste. Industry front runners continue to acknowledge the sustainable potential of digital fashion, from fashion influencers to fashion designers; digital fashion has become a solidified part within the vast potential of the fashion industry.
6. Design Process
[19]
6.1. Digital Fabrication
Fabricating Earthan digitally allowed it to be manufactured with as little waste as possible, the patterns were designed on a digital avatar to eliminate toil waste during the pattern-making phase [Figures 20, 21 & 22]. It was also at this point that the scale of the patterns came to realization. Bearing in mind that the patterns must be hung or laid down flat to be seeded and nourished, the decision was made to fabricate only one out of the two transformative looks. Traditionally, pattern-making is more about the functionality and the fit of the garment. In the case of Earthan, it was more to understand how the seeds would be embedded onto the patterns, and how the silhouette would transform through its decay. Hence, the pattern design was required to accommodate not only the final structure of the garment, but an extended timeframe beyond that, which must include its full evolution from growth to decay. As such, this creation process had to involve a fashion design which was aligned with a life cycle from
the start of its very design inception, using this cycle to its advantage and becoming something more than a garment in the process - no longer a fixed and final product for consumption and disposal, but a Second Skin, a memento mori.
6.2. Material Fabrication
Creating a fabric which could be utilized as a viable growing medium, involved an organic felt wool material which was infused with potato starch bioplastic; an important ingredient for its potassium content [Figure 23]. This led to the formation of a mineral wool suitable for sprouts to feed on. In short, the seeds would begin to sprout, with time eventually entirely consuming for sustenance the mineral wool until its full decay. Hence, the organically decaying silhouette, structure, color, and texture of the garment would transform itself; emphasizing on the ephemeral nature of the physical world and its constant state of flux.
On the other hand, the bio plastic used in the corset dress is made of Agar Agar, corn starch, glycerin, spirulina, turmeric for organic pigment and tea compost for texture [Figure 24]. According to eco world// cornstarch is rich in polylactic acid, which is a sustainable plastic substitute. Unlike conventional petroleum-based plastics, cornstarch bioplastic is easily composted and is derived from a renewable source, which potentially reduces the carbon
footprint that is left by fossil fuel plastic. A Glycerin component is added for structural purposes, as it renders the material more pliable and acts to reduce its resulting stiffness from the heat-exposed cornstarch. Agar Agar is a biopolymer that, according to Nora Veerman of FahionUnited, is extracted from the cell walls of red algae and seaweeds (Veermanl, 2022). During the first stage of curing, the bioplastic goes through a thickening process, at the risk of forming cracks in the event of rapid shrinkage. This side-effect can be mitigated with proper aerating within the first twenty-four hours. at the first stage of curing, but could form cracks as it shrinks if it is not aerated properly within the first twenty-four hours.
One of the most crucial lessons involved throughout the process of fabricating this project, was to embrace the natural changes that could happen. Earthen forces one to work with these natural changes, (The inherent non-uniformity of the ingredients)
7. Conclusion
The sanctity of our natural environment, our human need for self-expression and creativity, our primordial requirement for shelter and safety, the finitude and balance of organic life - Earthan exists at the intersection of all these issues as they pertain to Fashion design and the fashion industry today. After highlighting fashion as an indispensable and ever-present medium of expression in our societies, and investigating its present-day negative impact on the planet (and the urgency with which it must be addressed), this study has offered a deconstruction of our established culture of reckless consumption and looked beyond the gimmicks of greenwashing, to put forth a comprehensive new approach to fashion: as a Second Skin, an object of embodied memento mori, an integrated part of a cycle of life and a physical and ideological extension of the creator and the consumer.
Through experimental testing of a multitude of biodegradable alternative materials, Earthan has sought to reflect
its findings with the aim of normalizing the use of these new and unconventional materials, bridging the discrepancy between what the fashion industry could embody and what it currently contributes to. Ultimately, the goal of this project has been to make the case for a relationship with fashion (our art, our home and ourselves) which is more in harmony with nature, by taking inspiration from the cycle of life, from birth and growth to death and decay.
8. List of Illustrations
Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights / Page 11
Adam and Eve flanked by two trees, a town in the background ca. 1512–14 / Page 16
Iris van Herpen SS21 / Page 21
Phillip Lim and Charlotte McCurdy adorn couture dress with algae bioplastic sequins / Page 26
Valdis Steinarsdottir Agar Agar moldable top / Page 25
Jan Davidsz de Heem - Memento Mori with Flowers circa 1660 / Page 34
Philippe de Champaigne’s Vanitas (c. 1671) / Page 37
Gucci Cruise 2019 / Page 39
9. Project
Catalogue
Beeswax cotton, Mineral wool, Chia seeds.
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