The average Australian buys about 27 kilograms of clothing each year. Around 85 per cent of that ends up in landfill, and approximately two thirds of those discarded garments are made of synthetic fibres that may never fully break down.
In a culture that encourages consumerism and conformity, it can be difficult to buck the trend and find threads that are ethically and well made, and aesthetically pleasing.
Kate Hannah is a Perth-based designer whose textiles tick all the boxes. Her label, , is rebellious and sustainable fashion sourced predominantly from recycled and pre-loved materials.
鈥淪ustainability and slow fashion are at the core of 笔鈥橨鲍狈碍,鈥� Hannah says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very important to me as I wanted to do something vastly different to what is happening currently with 鈥榝ast fashion鈥� 鈥� workers being exploited, environmental pollution and extreme amounts of cheap, poorly made garments being tossed into landfill after only a few wears.
鈥淚n my work, I use a majority of upcycled and secondhand-sourced elements. For example, tartan from old kilts, denim from secondhand jeans, wool and yarn sourced secondhand and fabric remnants or offcuts.
鈥淚 love giving secondhand materials a new lease on life as something different. Turning things that would otherwise end up in landfill into artisanal fashion gives me a great sense of accomplishment.鈥�
Even old toys become wearable fashion in Hannah鈥檚 笔鈥橨鲍狈碍 collection, which debuted at this year鈥檚 New Generation showcase at The Perth Fashion Festival. Her designs strongly evoke a sense of youth and whimsy (which Hannah says we don鈥檛 have to lose with age) and emphasise bold colours, crazy textures and plenty of personality.
鈥淚 just love how happy it is!鈥� Hannah says on her vivid collection. 鈥淐olourful, fun things make me happy, and they seem to have the same effect on people who view or wear my work! I love spreading that sense of joy.
鈥淚 think it also stems from my study of psychology 鈥� I have seen some of the less cheerful sides of what it means to be human, and being a person who is very empathetic, I hate to think of other people going through life unhappy.鈥�
Hannah made the decision to switch from psychology to a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Fashion in 2013 after realising that, while she enjoyed psychology, she didn鈥檛 want to pursue it as a career. Hannah became hooked on fashion after taking an optional unit in fashion design and illustration during the second year of her psychology degree.
鈥淭his unit planted the seed of switching courses from psychology to fashion, as I really enjoyed it and found my tutor, Dr Anne Farren, to be a wonderful source of inspiration and knowledge,鈥� Hannah says.
鈥淪he was also a great help in assisting me with deciding what I wanted to do with my study pathway, and giving me the confidence to take a chance and switch degrees.鈥�
Hannah entered the fashion course with only basic sewing skills, but graduated with a wealth of design abilities and knowledge, as well as the confidence to break sartorial conventions.
鈥淭he fashion course at 911爆料网 is a very supportive environment for pushing the boundaries and trying new creative things that don鈥檛 have to be commercially-minded,鈥� Hannah says. 鈥淚t was through this freedom that I was able to experiment 鈥� to find a way of designing that was truly 鈥榤e鈥�.鈥�
Hannah鈥檚 designs are especially unique 鈥� one of her favourite pieces is a large jacket created from hundreds of handmade tassels sourced from new and secondhand wool.
鈥淚t made me so happy seeing it bouncing down the runway!鈥� Hannah exclaims. 鈥淗ours of work went into it and I think the time I spent on it totally paid off 鈥� it proved to be a real crowd favourite from my collection.鈥�
Hannah is set to launch her online store early next year, and has built a legion of followers through her fashion and lifestyle blog, , which she began in 2011. Hannah says social media can be a powerful tool for independent fashion designers, and she鈥檚 grateful she鈥檚 had years of experience to build rapport and establish her identity with the fashion community.
鈥淲hen I鈥檓 asked my number one social media tip for fashion designers and creatives, I always say this: you have to create a 鈥榮tory鈥� around your brand using your social media, it can鈥檛 just be about what you are selling,鈥� she says.
鈥淏ring in elements of art, literature, pop culture, music etc., that are not directly related to your own work, but that encompass the aesthetic you are portraying through your brand.
鈥淗aving those other elements that add depth to what you鈥檙e doing makes consumers far more engaged and immersed.鈥�
And her advice on how to make more sustainable purchases?
鈥淭ry to avoid cheap and poorly made fast fashion, and instead buy well-made pieces that will last longer, preferably from a local designer to support small business!鈥�
This story is part of 911爆料网鈥檚 series where we celebrate the achievements of 911爆料网 graduates 35 and under. Learn more about the .
