fashionRIP

fashionRIP is a multidiscipline, transmedia installation of chapters, an exploration of perceptions and beliefs. It’s a platform that explores ecosystems health, generative economics, social justice, cultural and creative diversity. Starting with recycouture garments, the story became the Project. It is now an evolving experiment, designed to explore meaningful relationship based constructs that put human potential and whole systems health over the abstract ideas of faux "the real world."

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Set at NSCC

LIVEtextiles for interiors

Saturday, April 25, 2009

when being bad is good

plants used for fabrics

GRRRRRRilla Marketing or is it GIRLilla ?

Ethical Fashion stood its ground against corporate vending machines on Earth Day.

Think about it.
Plastic bottled beverages (plastic issues are multiple) single serving packaging (packaging is resource greedy and makes for garbage mountains) not to mention that these machines are often refrigerated units and/or always on (gobbling energy) -what are we doing here folks? These machines are full of products that are designated for human consumption but what is the nutritive value? A pointless oral and tummy fix and then....i just had to use that wall of readymade props.

I was asked by a school employee if i wanted an easel for my illustrations and i told him no, that the point was better made using the vending machines. He spluttered back about having to make money and i countered with "its Earth Day, really what is the harm in one day from 10-4 and besides isn't it time to shake awake and see the real ...this ( i point to machines) is a part of the problem after all. He backed off with a statement about getting orders from higher up. Yeah, how high...?

Anyway, a sign disappeared. As it was the one getting the most delightful comments, well i just made a new one to replace it. This happened 3 times until i caught the culprit; "aha, so its you ripping down my signs,"i said in a non offending, jovial manner. It was a silly little game after all!

That third time he took down all of the signs (after 3pm) while i was talking with someone about sewing classes or mercury in immunizations or Peruvian villages (i meet the greatest people)

The point of this is why he couldn't just ask me to please stop ...i guess he was afraid he might lose a possible argument as olde school grounds are sinking fast!

If i see him again, i will tell him he could have just asked me to remove the signs because he tore a few of them and that wasn't nice. The point of this is that sometimes disrupting status quo is necessary to move things forward. Think first and then act...but do act.

It was fun!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Earth Day at NSCC

notice the Making of the species on the Verge on monitor

Not as busy as last year, fewer lectures, tables and a day off the official day, twas curious. No mind though as i had a wonderful time meeting people and seeing that the fashionRIP Project has an audience..and people want to learn to sew and join the reFashion culture, a satisfying day.

Thank you Warren for organizing this event, LIVEtextiles and Pacific Fabrics for samples and David for the video set up and NSCC for the indoor table!

And that audience runs a wide gamut...that was one of the best things i found out, that little niche market is becoming a virtual chasm of underground revisioning and blooming. What a thrill! and people are liking the Verge look and..

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Neo Estate Sales

repurpose a great early 60's desk into a vanity

We're refashioning the estate sale model to raise money for fashionRIP and get the show and yours truly, on the road. (interactive presentation lectures are in the works...the first one will be at Seattle Central Community College on October 28th)

Mom and dad's house is big enough to dedicate a few rooms for sales space and it makes for a nicer than norm shopping environment that customers and "staff" appreciate. Staff being mom, neighbors, dad and me.

Last week was the retro/vintage sale, later on vintage clothing, linens and textiles will go to new caretakers and even further on books, records and cds. The signs say "this weeks special" in hopes that people realize this is something new and not just a tricky dealer or leftovers.

I wish we could come up with a good new name for it. Ideas?

Friday, April 10, 2009

Amisha

Not sure if this is Water or farm. Skirt has scrap weave thru detailing, top is from vintage fabric. The eyelet blouse was from a project my mother started then lost enthusiasm for; so i reclaimed and finished it.
This morning (3 am) i saw the PBS show-Salt of the Earth, hosted by Paul Rodriguez- on salt accumulation destroying California agriculture lands; irrigation evaporation leaves killer deposits and is what destroyed the gardens of the Middle East (Iraq).

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Water Lillie

70s top, remnants, old drapery sample and a little new tulle with old silk flower ready made appliques and beads.

Starting Water chapter 2 of fashionRIP.

For Earth Day (the 23rd) i will be at NSCC, please drop by. I will have some designer info from London as well as interior and fabric swatches by the locals.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Dior NYC near 5th Ave

the next day

the first day

Had to point out the drag lines across the bust, this top looks uncomfortable even on a mannequin! The gathers (fullness) aren't where they're useful! I took the photo to add to my "famous designer delusions" file. Funny thing is that the next day i walked by and the window had been changed ....spy cams are everywhere in NYC, but there? Anyway it goes to show that we all can add to positive changes; so the next step is to slow the fashion cycle and develop sustainable economies that don't waste resources or need growth to survive- ideas welcome!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

YouTube Success

looks pretty, but evaporation isn't so good!
Water rip is chapter 2

Back from NYC and will put up some more photos very soon. Most will go to the Fashion Ethos site as more pertinent to those pesky ethical design issues.
However, the latest YouTube upload was deemed successful so the "Making of the Species on the Verge" should be available to view very soon and the link will go Here!

Bridgett and i thank you for your patience. djb

Why it Matters

What's the matter with more and more fashion choices?

It sounds good; we love to be able to pick the perfect outfit. You wear it once or twice and then ....what was the real cost here?

Your time to shop and the money spent, not so much ....go a little deeper and consider the fiber source, the dyes and chemicals used, the health toll on the workers, the energy to run the machines, the transporting carbons...and now it just takes up closet space. But so what? It's been going on for-almost-ever and you didn't make the rules.

In fact we are told this is what a "healthy" economy looks like.

You will recycle it after all, give it to charity or your sister. This is more transportation and more release of those greenhouse gases. We are using a lot of our personal energy and the resources of this planet to make, use and dump "trash" Some rags, remnants and tawdry bits will molder for eons in landfills, as nature's microbial actions are hampered by our normalized, everyday toxic lifestyles.

This goes beyond dumps as the breakdown cycle that nourishes the life of this planet has been sorely challenged by GMO crops, fertilizers, pesticides, antimicrobials..RIGHT!!. All the "living better through chemistry" propaganda after WWI and II- AKA how to sell your "garbage," is our legacy. Well no more, not on my (our) watch, we are seeing things quite differently.

As we now carry 298 toxins in our bods that weren't there in the 1930s the toxic residues of normal are haunting us more and more. Ironic, no? Advanced is merely a word.

Go to the So Whats the Point blog in February for the numbers.

fashionRIP posts are copr at time of posting thank you

Extinctions ...So What?

Life evolves, some species survive some don't. We like to allude to Darwin's "natural selection" or Herbert Spencer's "survival of the fittest" because we are so good at reproducing and taking over this planet and justifying that side of our natures. The fact that we are wiping out the food chain by destroying habitat, fouling air and water and generally behaving like arrogant, tinkering idiots, is called business as usual. .....Well I and others are no longer buying that "sell."

We are wising up to the idea that we too, are dependent on these resources. We too, are physically an organic species and we really don't know what little extinction will be the start of the chain reaction that collapses the structure that we too, are dependent on.

Is this the price we are willing to pay for a pair of plastic shoes?

I say no, that despite the focus on the physical, we are more. We are heart and soul, mind, body, spirit. We are born of stars and we can and will leap over this world view based in old, untrue beliefs led by a science of isolation and religions of patriarchal, hierarchical constructs (your basic dominating Dad- with self reflective rights to rule). It is time to come together and heal. To transition into our fuller expectations and open the new possibilities. We are born with genius...let us help each other get to where we all can shine.