Canteen has been up and running for about five years now in the centre of Cardiff and is a bit of a mecca for veggie food lovers in Wales. Offering exceptional value for money and the best vegetarian food in both Cardiff and indeed in Wales, Canteen is a charming little restaurant. The chefs and [...]
Green Earth Awareness
October 3rd, 2011
June 16th, 2011
Though solar panels are not a new idea by any means they are part of an overall green concept which is rapidly growing in terms of popularity. Even if you are completely clued up as far as the concept of solar energy and the benefits that come from employing such a system, you might not [...]
May 9th, 2011
(Camellia Countessa is a wearable garment made from camellia
flowers, lilac, yucca, laurel leaves, willow branches, and thorns. All photos courtesy of Nicole Dextras.)
Environmental art doesn’t necessarily have to be restricted to a pile of rocks stacked together by Andy Goldsworthy
— it can also take the form of wearable, fashionable, and socially
engaged garments too.
Made with fruits, weeds, flowers, and leaves,
‘Weedrobes’ is the delightful series of meticulously detailed,
perishable gowns, coats, and suits by Canadian environmental artist Nicole Dextras.
Striking a careful balance between style and commentary, the message
behind Weedrobes is aimed squarely at the not-always-so-sustainable
practices of the fashion industry, while also redefining the perceived
immortality of haute couture.
Dextras’ garments begin life as plants harvested from a variety of
places, ranging from areas affected by invasive species to specimens
from Dextras’ own garden.
After constructing her pieces, Dextras photographs each Weedrobe with a
model, and they are sent out to “engage the public” by interacting with
passerby. Afterwards, each garment is left to be ‘reclaimed’ and to
decompose naturally.
Dextras’ extensive array of natural materials is a veritable gardener’s
delight, including yucca leaves, wild red rose, camellia, willow,
hydrangeas, crab apples, kale, rose hips, laurels, and thorns to pierce
components together. She sometimes uses invasive species like Japanese
knotweed to call into question our attitudes toward certain species.
Dextras also weaves leaves together to create her clothing, allowing the shape of the plants to inform the specific pattern.
And no flowery outfit is complete without a pair of leafy shoes, fit for the human version of faerie folk.
Though it may seem to be a little too fun to be serious, Weedrobes is
not just some off-the-cuff project. Dextras’ view on fashion is from the
inside, with a deep personal history with fashion beginning from her
childhood memories of her mother’s clothing store and Dextras’ own
employment in non-union sweatshop, where she witnessed firsthand the
poor working conditions and the chemicals used in the process.
Ultimately, the point of these ephemeral robes is to get people to
see past the glamorous exterior and at the larger life cycles behind the
fashion industry. According to Dextras:
The Weedrobes philosophy is based on being a free thinker,
creating one’s own sense of style while also raising awareness about the
impact of industry on our eco-system. Our most effective tool for
change is for consumers to demand more equitable products. It may be
impractical to wear clothing made with leaves, but our future depends on
the creation of garments made from sustainable resources.
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