Editor’s Message
Welcome to Issue 1 of Volume 3: Materials!
Another year, another Volume! As with every issue of The COMM, our COMMunity Members are at the forefront and behind the scenes. We hope to see this platform continue to grow and showcase the best our global collective has to offer!
This issue, we’re taking a closer look at fashion and what makes up each garment—material, of course! Fabric changes the way a garment is constructed, how the garment fits the body, and the “attitude” of the piece. And of course, the creation of the materials for a garment itself has its own story.
The discussion surrounding fashion, textiles, ethics, and sustainability has come to the forefront of the global conscience as of late. The fashion industry has been repeatedly criticized for its unethical approach to the creation, production, and disposal of clothing. So as a result, consumers have taken matters into their own hands and are choosing to purchase from brands that take a sustainable or ethical stance and speaking out against the industry. Some brands have been accused of “greenwashing” to capitalise on this growing trend—but that’s a whole other issue!
So how does Japanese street fashion fit in? We wanted to explore how people in our community wear different kinds of materials. Japanese fashion encourages alternative clothing, so why not alternative materials, too?
In Part One, titled Botanical, we’re taking it back to the basics and elements that make up planet Earth. We feature people who have placed nature at the centre of their aesthetic: think earth-tones, florals, and endless greenery. With more and more technological advances, there can be a desire to instead push the boundary in that direction, adding more and more tech to fashion (something we explored in our Tech issue). But maybe in order to refresh our perspective on how we can innovate fashion, we should be looking to the greatest innovator of all: Earth!
Part Two is all about materials in abundance. Material Girl is all about excess. We’ve been conditioned to buy, buy, buy—more, more, more! and what’s wrong with a little indulgence once in a while? Collecting a lot of things can show your passion and dedication to something you enjoy. Who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by the things they love? Plus it isn’t going to bring about the end of the world!
But in Part Three, maybe it is. In Human-Made we show the apocalypse. The world has ended but fashion lives on! What would you do in the apocalypse? Some of us are on a mission to save the planet. Others want to live the rest of our years aesthetically, wearing anything they find lying around. You may be envisioning something along the lines of Mad Max, but we’ve got a more colourful end of the world in mind!
It has been so interesting to explore different aspects of materials for this issue. Material is just as important as silhouette or colour to a garment. And when it comes to being sustainable with our fashion, we hope it helps you think about how even as a small community, we can all have an impact! Whether it is how you present your style, what you choose to purchase, or what materials you use to design, any small effort will have a larger effect!
As always, please share your thoughts in the comments and your Materials-inspired outfits with the hashtag #thecommoffline on social media!
Choom
Editor-In-Chief