This publication has evolved through a collaborative project of four London College of Fashion MA students in association with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion and Waltham Forest Council for London Borough of Culture 2019. Aniela, Megha, Rebecca and Sara explored alternative clothing practices in Walthamstow. The project has been an opportunity to uncover the creative life cycle of clothing from choosing the fabric, to garment construction and tailoring, and onto garment alteration and repair, all within Walthamstow. We discovered a network of independent craftspeople and small-scale businesses that form an integral part of the local community. Diligent and passionate about their work, they help create and maintain clothing pieces tailored to the individual’s need. Through their trade and the way they support one another and give back where they can, those businesses are vital in creating a community resilience that shapes the cultural identity of Walthamstow.
