The Re-Generation Project
A self-initiated sustainable fashion and photography project responding to global textile waste. I created a one-of-a-kind garment from clothing donated by New York residents, exhibited at the LIC Factory in NYC. An accompanying portrait series, featuring each contributor wearing the final piece, was later published in The Irish Times, bringing the project full circle.
Client
Personal Project
Exhibition, NYC
Date
2019 - 2020
Skills
Photography/ Image Editing/ Creative Direction/ Adobe Creative Suite
Brief:
Design and exhibit a unique, wearable piece made entirely from second-hand materials, raising awareness of mass consumption and textile waste in New York and globally.
Process:
I collected unwanted clothing from friends across New York, each from different cultural backgrounds. The unpredictable nature of sourcing material challenged me to assemble the garment like a collage, coordinating colours, textures, and fabrics. Without access to a sewing machine, I chose to celebrate slow, traditional techniques such as blanket stitching and crochet. The process was time-intensive but contributed to the projects message of slow fashion and handcrafts.
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Garment origins: Austria, Austin (Texas), Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Ireland, Los Angeles, Mexico.
Outcome:
The final garment embodies a sense of community and reflects New York’s identity as a cultural hub, with materials sourced from around the world. It serves as an artefact, an object to treasure, and is displayed as in a museum. A symbol that clothing should be durable and last, a reaction to today's disposable culture worldwide.
The piece was exhibited at the LIC Factory in New York City throughout November as part of an Open Call exhibition. I also photographed the garment on each of the project contributors, in their homes, at work, and on the streets of New York, a circular moment. The images were later published in The Irish Times Magazine alongside an article on the resurgence of slow fashion during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This project deepened my skills in creative direction, photography, and image editing, while reinforcing my values around sustainability, collaboration, and the power of storytelling through visual design.