Hello, Darlings!
Welcome back, and welcome to another blog from the Future of Fashion, a place where we can magically impact the future of fashion, beauty and creativity for all living creatures.
This week, we have another exciting and inspiring subject: “A modern-day approach to make do and mend”. Sustainable fashion comes in many forms. Let’s look at some:
Newly created collections in organic and other sustainable materials.
Thrifting or shopping for preloved items.
Sharing our wardrobes and clothes swaps.
Upcycling (which you know is my favourite).
Shopping our own wardrobe - this is the subject of this week’s blog.
The Origins of Make do and Mend
After World War 2, the term “make do and mend” became a mantra to live by in England. It was a time when rationing was still very much in place, and ready-to-wear fashion was largely inaccessible. Having techniques to make clothes last longer was so important.
“The government urged people to repair and re-use their existing clothes and materials. ‘Make Do and Mend’ pamphlets were issued to families alongside newsreel trailers made by the Ministry of Information. These provided tips on how to re-use old material, how to repair clothes (such as by darning socks), and how to repel moths. The character ‘Mrs Sew and Sew’ explained these tips in pamphlets as well as in animated films. The pamphlet was described as a ‘must have’ for households.” The D-Day Story.
A Modern-day Approach.
With all the interest in sustainable fashion, ways of “shopping our own wardrobes” and keeping our clothes longer have become so relevant and important. Many sustainable fashion artists and clothing experts have taken on these techniques and modernised them.
A lovely article from “Goodwood Road and Racing” featured many tips and suggestions on this modern-day approach, including caring for your clothes properly, up-cycling thrifted pieces and tailoring your own clothes from dead-stock fabric.
There are many Sustainable Dressmaking Communities where you can share ideas and swap items. If you don’t know of one, how about starting your own?
The authenticity of keeping your clothes and making them unique while lengthening their life makes the experience so special. There is something very inspiring about handcrafting clothes when fast fashion is such a “throwaway culture”. This can become a new initiative or personal project for you. I am sure fast fashion brands will find a way to try to feature these techniques in the future. However, they will not be personal to you, so get started for yourself.
Sashiko Stitching
Another wonderful technique is the Japanese tradition of “Sashiko Stitching”. Sashiko originated in Japan during the extremely austere Edo period when the region was completely cut off and had to be entirely self-sufficient.
Image courtesy of https://upcyclestitches.com
“The country was required to be completely self-sufficient in all aspects of life, and skills to ‘make do and mend’ evolved from pure survival into something akin to an art form and way of life.”
The culture of that time demanded that working classes could only wear clothing for the purpose of protection and warmth whilst working. They were only permitted to wear Bast Fibres, such as ramie, nettles and hemp. These were dyed with blue indigo, which was hard-wearing and deters snakes and insects. As clothing became used and worn, they would be repaired with a running stitch (Sashiko) or repaired with additional pieces of cloth. The Japanese women in these communities took these repairs into an art form—a display of their skill and devotion to the household. Sashiko was taught during childhood and became an indication of a girl’s suitability as a wife.
Boro Stitching
Boro is simply the repetition of Sashiko. As the clothing was repeatedly repaired, it would become like a patchwork of mending and stitching. These have become known as “random beauty”. Their purpose was purely for warmth and function. You can see some beautiful examples of Boro repair here.
Why?
I would consider our recent interest in these mending techniques is due to its contrast to the throwaway fast fashion culture. With everything being readily available and accessible now, we feel a strong desire for something authentic and personal. The Japanese have long been known for their “beauty in broken things” philosophy. Famously - “Kintsugi is the general concept of highlighting or emphasising imperfections, visualising mends and seams as an additive or an area to celebrate or focus on, rather than absence or missing pieces.” Kintsugi. (2024, July 3). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi or “Wabi-Sabi” - the Japanese Art of finding beauty in imperfections.” https://www.carnegielibrary.org/staff-picks/wabi-sabi-the-japanese-art-of-finding-the-beauty-in-imperfections/
Yet, we could consider this to have a much deeper meaning. See this quote:
“Kintsugi Is a Metaphor for Healing and Resilience…
The act of mending the broken – highlighting the cracks instead of hiding them – mirrors our own resilience in the face of adversity. It shows us that our scars, like golden seams, remind us not of how fragile we are. But of the strength we have in overcoming.”
The world has become very challenging in recent years. There are many crises, wars, threats, polarisation and separation. We have had to face many global and personal crises. At the same time, social media and celebrity culture are all about perfection, whether real or through filters and adjustments. At times, modern everyday life can seem overwhelming and all too much to deal with. The external (and internal) pressures are endless and ever more demanding. Returning ourselves to simple, authentic practices is reassuring.
The holistic, restorative opportunities for “modern-day make do and mend”:
These practices align with sustainable fashion.
Showing the beauty of thriving through challenging times and the power of resilience.
They save us money (the cost of living crisis and the over-inflated fashion prices).
We can find peace of mind in working on simple hand-crafted projects.
We create our own beauty and authentic clothing.
We can teach and inspire others on the value of hand-crafted clothing.
We learn how to love what we have and what we create.
We learn to stitch and create our own beauty.
While modern-day make do and mend may seem like just another trend, it has so many more profound opportunities. We find beauty, authenticity and peace of mind when creating fashion. When we look at the origin of Sashiko, we can really connect with what clothing is truly for. It is not only a means of need, waste and consumerism but also a beautiful journey of resilience and devotion.
Time for homework:
What appeals to you about modern-day make do and mend?
Which project would you like to take on?
As always, have fun, love life, and enjoy fashion.
Kate xx