Fashioned by Nature

Immerse yourself in the future of materials

Recently, there have been strides to use biological material to synthesize entirely new media known as ‘biomaterials’. The fashion industry has also been part of this development as is seen with the creation of leather-like and bio-based materials.

As the biomaterials field continues to develop, there is an increasing shift toward new design material becoming accessible to all while also addressing questions of sustainability, environmental impact, ethical concerns, and health. It is anticipated that in the near future, there will opportunities for growing your own fabric or textiles.

‘FASHIONED by NATURE’ is an exhibition of biomaterials that two fashion design students have developed and grown themselves. Using readily accessible ingredients that are vegan, non-toxic, and biodegradable, the students experimented with different formulas to make their own ‘fabric’ in their kitchens, bringing together fashion objects, dyeing techniques and grown materials.

Organised around three themes - ‘Food waste’, ‘Sea story’ and ‘The Invisible World’ - this pop-up exhibition questions the material origin of everyday objects and invites the audience to interact and react to those new ‘living’ materials. Could future fashion see a new frontier of quickly-compostable clothing to keep up with seasonable trends all whilst not contributing to landfills? Or could a newfound appreciation for materials shift our relationship with clothing into a new sphere of sustained and enjoyed usage?

This project was done by Laure Fernandez (France) and Maryssa Cook-Obregón (USA). They are currently master’s students in the Fashion Futures program at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London.