Some words capture the spirit of a single year, while others grow in importance over time, shaping the way we live and think.
"Sustainability", for instance, is one of those transformative words that has proved instrumental in the fashion industry in the last few years. Yet, as we've seen in previous posts, practices like reusing and recycling garments are far from new, they were indeed vital during the First and Second World Wars.
During World War II, "Make Do and Mend" pamphlets shared clever tricks for extending the life of garments, including unpicking old jumpers to re-knit them. This technique was used for example for an "Economy Jumper" in the Cronit Homecraft knitting pattern series (from the '40s).
The pattern included instructions for reusing wool from unraveled garments, eliminating the need to buy new yarn and saving ration coupons, but it didn't include any information about types of yarn or colors as the makers would have decided according with what they had or could find. So the scrappy jumper offered endless possibilities for creativity, allowing wearers to combine odd shades of wool into a striking patchwork design.
The "Economy" pattern series also featured patterns for accessories like moccasin-style slippers crafted from old felt hats and slippers made from silk stockings. The technique involved cutting stockings or felt hats into strips and knitting or crocheting them into shoes.
In these three patterns makers were offered the chance to learn a technique, but the results would have been unique, as they would have been shaped by the materials the crafters had at their disposal.
While the mocassins and slippers might not have been the height of comfort or fashion, they showed effort. Recycling and reusing materials such as stockings in fashion was taken to the conceptual level in modern times - think about Maison Margiela's "Artisanal" sensual top from the house's A/W 2005 collection, made from nylon stockings - proving that even the humblest materials can inspire high fashion.
So, if you're a fashion design student working on a project, check out these vintage patterns in libraries or in digital collections and see if you can reimagine these materials or techniques, adding your own twist: with a little creativity and resourcefulness, you could craft pieces worthy of your own "artisanal" collection with a sustainable flair.
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