Are you over garments that simply adorn you? Do you think, “DO MORE!” as you flip through your closet?
Canadian creative Olivia Rubens’ photosynthetic knitwear might be just what you need!
For her Spring/Summer 2023 collection, Rubens collaborated with the London-based design studio Post Carbon Lab on a selection of made-to-order clothing and accessories that are coated in a unique trademarked substance that causes a piece to “sequester carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.”
We love a multi-tasker, right? Check out more of these unique pieces after the jump.
Take note that this is style requiring special care. These living looks should be kept in a ventilated area (i.e., not thrown in the back of your wardrobe); misting the photosynthetic parts with filtered water once a day is recommended.
While this may sound high maintenance, it’s no different from caring for your houseplants if you have ‘em. And really, the fate of our planet is worth it.
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Post Carbon Lab founders Dian-Jen Lin and Hannes Hulstaert have coined their method as “Regenerative Sustainability Activism”, and says this about the practice on the PCL website:
“Instead of taking a passive reductionism or down/re/upcycling approach, Regenerative Sustainability Activism advocates proactive engagement from an industrial entry point. Essentially, it is about making sustainability as easy and accessible as daily conveniences like putting on clothes and commuting.
One great example is to design garments that have photosynthetic or pollution-filtering properties. This will allow the fashion industry to have an output for carbon negativity (climate positivity) rather than reducing or offsetting the footprint.”
Rubens is no stranger to sustainability-minded design, having incorporated reused materials like vintage cotton, lace and beads into pieces featured in past and current collections, and she debuted photosynthetic work in 2022.
This season, she even toyed with a medium that many millennials will have a soft spot for—the CD case.
The outrageously fun cross-body Rococo bag seen here has a handle made from these melted-down musical artifacts and is also festooned with found objects.
But my favourite item from Rubens’ recent offering is this slouchy tee crafted with upcycled crocheted lace and photosynthetic sleeves. It’s casual yet elegant and makes a statement in more ways than one.
OMG, why not wear it? is our column for fashion lovers who are up for anything. It is an inspiration point, a place for dreaming, and a discussion of beauty, weirdness, and thought-provoking design moments as forms of connection. Written by Odessa Paloma Parker (@odessapaloma)
“Why no wear it?”
Easy. It’s ugly as fuck.
WOW!! Those are HID.E.OUS! FUGLY!! Grandma would not have been caught DEAD in this mess!
Now I know what happened to those boxes of my grandmother’s old table clothes and doilies I donated to Goodwill……..