Pratt Presents 'Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion'

Alabama Chanin spring/summer 2010. Alabama Chanin

The exhibition is guest curated by Francesca Granata, a fashion theorist and lecturer at Parsons The New School for Design and Sarah Scaturro, a textile conservator at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and adjunct instructor at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The aim of "Ethics + Aesthetics" is to further establish sustainable practices and fair labor within the fashion industry. The curators speak to their vision, below.

While the concepts of recycling and using organic materials are quite familiar in fashion, we are seeking to broaden the definition of what constitutes sustainable fashion by exploring ideas such as modularity, minimalism, and memory.

Reduce, Revalue, and Rethink

"Reduce" examines minimalist and innovative designs by SANS, Uluru, Loomstate, and Bodkin. "Revalue" focuses on the sentimental value of a piece and the attachment the wearer has to the garment. This theme manifests in the form of upcycling and handcrafting, and Alabama Chanin's handmade products, Susan Cianciolo's artistry, and SUNO's vintage African textiles are premiere examples shown in this category.

SUNO spring/summer 2010. SUNO

"Rethink" looks at the life cycle of a garment and the pace at which the fashion industry turns clothes over from season to season. Fashion lines that promote a slower pace such as Slow and Steady Wins the Race--who has unfortunately, abandoned this model due to demand--Kelly Cobb, Tiprin Follett, Zoë Sheehan Saldaña, and Andrea Zittel.

For more information visit Pratt Exhibitions