A matter of mending

To coincide with Fashion Revolution Week Swansea College of Art showcased work by students, staff and associates related to themes of sustainability, repurposing, repair, and wear.

There were also discussions and activities aimed at providing a range of contextual resources for visitors to consider, whilst actively utilising available textile materials for experimentation and sampling in the space.

Fashion Revolution is a global movement with a collective vision for a fashion industry that conserves and restores the environment and values people over growth and profit.

Fashion Revolution Week, which this year took place from April 15 to 24) is an annual campaign bringing together the world’s largest fashion activism. This year’s theme invited its global  community to share a decade of learnings on what it means to be a part of the revolution. 

The University’s Fashion Revolution Week events took place in the ALEX Foyer, at Swansea College of Art, UWTSD. 

Shellie Holden, UWTSD Art and Design Foundation lecturer and exhibition organiser and curator said: “Our Fashion Revolution Exhibition 2024 demonstrated the passion and commitment to ‘matters of mending’, disseminated through creative arts practice. 

“The work instigated further conversations, and making as individual and collective activism, demonstrating how we are working towards more sustainable and ethical processes within the fashion and textile industries, and as artists, and designers.” 

Students, staff, and alumni produced both individual and collaborate responses. Past projects and ongoing work in progress included alumni/MA CD textiles graduate 2022 Sian Lester’s natural dying workshop, Lecturer MA, CD Textiles,  FAD and Ph/d Student Shellie Holden’s remaking of the Native Alaskan Gut parka for Kevin McCloud’s Man - made Home (2013).

FAD graduate, SPA graduate and current artist in resident Lucy Ralph’s Reclaimed Activist T-shirts, and Current MA CD Illustration student Liz Tuckers Applique Slogans for ‘We are Fashion Revolution’ were also on show. There were also many more FAD, Design Crafts and MA students participating.

Shellie added: “Plans are already in the pipeline for Fashion Revolution Week 2025 (scheduled around the Rana Plaza Factory Disaster on April 24, 2013) enabling us to showcase new work developed over the course of the year. 

Further Information

Rebecca Davies

Executive Press and Media Relations Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467071