Sustainability is becoming vital to individual consumers across all industries, and the fashion industry is no exception. Designers, established and emerging, are under pressure to deliver truly sustainably made collections that continue to excite, inspire and transform. In support of SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) WWG is sharing the work and insights of three designers for whom sustainability fuels their creativity and innovation.
In our final interview of the ‘Sustainable Storytelling’ series, we hear from up-and-coming designer Valeria Flecha Rosa. Valeria’s graduate collection tells the story of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017, and draws attention to the social, environmental, and economic impact of the crisis. For Valeria, ethical sustainability is as important as environmental sustainability.
What does your graduate collection CHAOS explore, and why did you want to make it?
I wanted to create something that encapsulates everything I want to represent as a designer, and work with a theme that is personally significant. I returned to what brought me to study in New York City in the first place- Hurricane Maria in 2017, in Puerto Rico. I conceptually explored memories from the hurricane I had never had a chance to reflect on. I also wanted to make visible the environmental, social, political, and economic issues of my homeland. CHAOS tells a story that completely changed the lives of many Puerto Ricans. It is an interpretation of the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and the following catastrophic events. It represents chaos and destruction, but simultaneously the resistance and unity of people.
CHAOS Collection: Long impermeable tarpaulin jacket, recycled power mesh top with electric cable apliqué and recycled brown fabric trousers with scrap-sourced faux leather piping.
One of the pieces consists of a long impermeable coat created with a recycled blue tarp as the main material. It was inspired by the blue tarps that were used after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico to cover the houses that lost their ceilings (roofs?). These tarps became symbols of “protection” and resistance, and serve as reminders of the destruction, lack of response of government agencies and the 4,645 lost lives. When I fled the island a few months after the hurricane, along with thousands of other Puerto Ricans, my last view of Puerto Rico from the sky was thousands of blue squares on the roofs of houses. I sourced a used 8x10 foot blue tarp and manipulated the material, creating gathers in uneven wavy lines to create a feeling of chaos. Then I cut and sewed the material, turning it into a jacket. For the interior, I upcycled used button-up shirts and created a patchwork fabric that functions as the lining. The final piece not only evoked that memory of chaos and destruction, but also feelings of strength, power, and resistance.
CHAOS Collection: Open blue long impermeable jacket, made with a recycled plastic blue tarp, lined with upcycled button-up shirts.
CHAOS Collection: Design process sketch.
Beyond producing environmentally friendly clothing, what does the movement of sustainability mean to you?
For me, it’s about creating a balance between the environment, economy, and equity, where one does not compromise the other. It’s not limited to environmental issues but includes human rights and efforts to create a more equal world. No one should be gaining wealth and power at the expense of destroying our planet, or exploiting and marginalizing groups of people, creating an unequal society. Fashion is more than beauty and style- its a universal language, and can tell us about history, society and culture. It can be political and revolutionary. It is my duty as a human and an artist to use the talent and platform I have been given to encourage positive change in the world. I want to continue finding ways to tell important messages and stories through my creations.
CHAOS Collection: Long impermeable tarpaulin jacket.
What can businesses, educators and governments do to encourage emerging fashion designers to prioritize sustainability?
Design schools should be more proactive in teaching aspiring designers about the impact of the fashion industry, and the concept and importance of sustainability. Sustainable processes, techniques and materials should be included in the main curriculum, rather than as optional or separate initiatives. As for fashion brands, their sustainable practices need to be visible and transparent to the public. Big fashion companies are very influential, and they have the power to make sustainability and slow fashion a new normal. These businesses would also benefit from opening spaces for new designers to share fresh ideas on how to make their companies more ethical and sustainable.
CHAOS Collection: Recycled power mesh top with electric cable apliqué and recycled brown fabric trousers with scrap-sourced faux leather piping.
Photographs by Elisa Silva.