Brisbane is the first city in the world to host a pop-up secondhand fashion festival as a waste minimization strategy, to the best of my knowledge. I (Jane Milburn) checked with New York refashion academic Sass Brown and Sass knows of no other. Do tell if you know of another.
Stiltwalkers showcase refashion at the 2016 Revive event in the heart of Brisbane. Photo by Brisbane City Council
Revive is in its second year and pops up again on 18 August 2017 at South Bank Forecourt from noon to 9pm. Hats off to Brisbane City Council, Cr Peter Matic and Cr David McLachlan for leadership. With textiles being one of the fastest growing domestic waste streams, fuelled by fast-fashion turnover, I am proud to have been in the room at its conception. Thank you to Cr Matic for acknowledging my contribution.
The advent of Revive followed a 2015 opportunity I had to address a council meeting on a matter of public importance. Here’s the link to my 2015 address (including Hansard pdf) when I spoke of the need to develop a more sustainable clothing culture. Revive is a huge step in this direction.
Infinite consumption in a finite world is unsustainable, in our hearts we all know that. That’s why reviving existing resources – including perfectly good clothing that needs a new body to enjoy it – is central to ensuring planetary health.
Revive thrived this year with the introduction of a conversation tent, refashion workshops run by QUT and Reverse Garbage Queensland, a clothing story board and the Beaudesert Collection of treasured garments from earlier times. The major opshops were there presenting unique and individual alternatives to fast fashion, with revivalist styling parades curated by Faye Delanty in collaboration with The Salvos. There was food trucks and other entertainment too. The event is free and coincides with National Op Shop Week.
I dressed the stiltwalkers in natural-fibre refashions (see photos below) and was in the conversation tent at 4pm for 30 minutes, along with lots of other voices now speaking out about sustainable clothing.
There are free Clothing Repair Café and Clothing Revival workshop sessions at Brisbane Square Library on August 23 and 24. Call 3403 4166 to secure a spot. #ReviveBNE
Photos from Revive 2017 and Revive 2016 below:
Stiltwalkers showcase Textile Beat refashions at Revive 2016, Photos by Brisbane City Council
Revive 2016 at South Bank in Brisbane, celebrating preloved as a sustainable choice for planetary health
Jane Milburn of Textile Beat at Revive 2016, with MC Carlie Wacker and Cr Peter Matic. Photos by Darcy Milburn