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Fashion is time based and has an inbuilt mechanism of disposablility. What is ‘in fashion’ this season is thrown away to make way for the next wave or season. Value is attached only to what is new and the actual wearing/use of the clothing is of secondary or no importance.
Contrary to this common attitude towards clothing, I actually believe
it acquires value through being worn. Clothing collects its own history through being used. It comes to life by having a living, moving body inside of it. A piece of clothing wears out, it gets dirty or damaged.
It provides a physical record of the passing of time – it also collects invisible connotations in the memory of the wearer and thus becomes
a reflection of the person wearing it. A new piece of clothing is like
an empty diary, each time it’s worn pages are being filled.
For my End Exam project at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy I researched
the idea of favourite clothing and what this means to different people. (Collection of Short Stories / 2006). I began ‘tagging’ these pieces of clothing so the wearer could constantly be reminded of the sentimental value of a particular clothing item. (Rietveld naar de Beurs, Rietveld Mode Show 2006) It was with these labels that the name ‘Worn Relics’ evolved and my exploration of the emotional function of clothing in
our society became the focus of my work.
In contrast to the temporary value attached to clothing in the world of fashion, WORN_RELICS© stimulates the idea that clothing actually acquires value through being worn. It is based on the idea that clothing is a relic, something treasured for its past associations. This, combined with the crucial element of voyeurism, makes WORN_RELICS© a relevant project in today’s fashion world, artistically and commercially.
www.rubyhoette.com
- on 2009-01-28 10:12:41
- by Ruby Hoette
- in background
