KT Nguyen

The entire collection is upcycled from post consumer and donated deadstock material. Interfacing zippers, buttons, and even thread are responsibly sourced from post consumer garments and other secondhand sources. Almost nothing is new, and because of the nature of the materials and make, this entire collection was relatively low cost.

Everything I create as a designer and artist is true to my values. The upcycling wasn't just done for this specific project. Sustainability and responsible production shouldn't be a one and done thing. It should be the standard. The fashion industry cannot function on its current trajectory. The only future in fashion is a sustainable one.

Joy as resistance addresses the modern day self first mindset that drives the fashion climate and humanitarian crises. Identity and personal fulfillment are determined by material possession and fashion overconsumption is rampant. Fostering community and connection in a joyful approachable manner has the potential to shift this mindset, ultimately inciting a change that starts on an individual level. One of the main goals of this project is to engage people and gain their interest as a doorway to awareness of the industry and their role in the system and the role they can play to challenge the current system.

My functioning system and my collection work together to actualize this goal of collective action, delivering awareness and empowerment through a fun and interactive educational experience. This takes form as hands on upcycling sewing group workshops for all levels and an informational interactive popup book. My collection draws on childhood themes that reconnect people with the playfulness and wonder they once had, which opens them up to receive both education and connection. Joy connects and unites. Joy is resistance.

These two books are meant to be interactive and engaging, bringing out the same wonder and playfulness that we had as kids. Though they cover a lot of content, the delivery of the information is easy to digest and approachable. Physically engaging participants in the process not only helps them retain the information better, but brings them together by sharing joy and excitement.

Educating people on how the fashion industry operates is a good start to get people to be aware of the system they are a part of.

This collection was inspired by my personal relationship with my inner child. I enjoy fun as an adult in a way I didn't as a kid. There's definitely a complicated dynamic between the social and mental constraints of adulthood and the openness and playfulness of childhood. I tried to capture this contrast with the teddy bear materiality and the sharp tailored garments. I wanted to create as much noise with my garments as I could to have it work into my system. Using childhood themes incites a type of emotional reaction that has a higher likelihood to retain interest and attention. I want to get people to want to engage in my work so I can make as big of an impact as I can and speak to as many people as I can. The world needs everyone doing something, not someone doing everything.

My whole collection is upcycled and sustainability sourced. I exclusively used dead stock and post consumer material, sourcing abandoned teddy bears and reclaiming the joy and nostalgia they once had into garments made to have high contrast, between the materiality and tailored garments, to be captivating and memorable.

I designed my garments to have a lot of smaller pattern pieces to maximize material usage while looking intentional instead of patchworked (which they are). All panels are a mix of old suit jackets, teddy bears, fluffy bedding (half of my own personal blanket was sacrificed and I'm half as warm now) fabric off cuts from fab scrap, the fabric recycling center, LOTS of scraps, post consumer fast fashion garments, even zippers, buttons, boning, and thread were sourced from random but ethical places

an more legible overview of the fashion supply chain

more legible for those who are interested