WornOut is an annual showcase of creativity and resourcefulness organised by Reverse Garbage Queensland to showcase designers working to reduce textile waste, with the 2019 theme being The Future of Waste.
As ambassador, Jane Milburn said that future really must be for us to waste nothing – and invest creative effort to keep materials endlessly circulating. Jane and ABC Brisbane’s Rebecca Levingston co-hosted this year’s event.
Rebecca Levingston and Jane Milburn co-hosts of WornOut 2019
‘There has never been a more important time to change our thinking and actions around reuse – to fully value and appreciate our planet’s precious resources,’ Jane said.
WornOut is now in its third year and taps into the global awakening about social and ecological impacts of the fashion industry, which contributes up to 10 percent of humanity’s carbon emissions. It is curated by Elizabeth Kingston, supported Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, and was held on November 23 at Princess Theatre with showcases of refashion, wearable art and cos play.
Jane said the purpose of the WornOut showcase is to:
- invest human energy, skills and creativity to transform ‘waste’
- change attitudes about when – if ever – textile resources are ‘wornout’
- show thrift and resourcefulness thriving in the local circular economy
- have fun with what we wear in inclusive and diverse ways
Refashion designers included: Kimbralou, who salvages and customises thrifted pieces into exclusive designs underpinned by social and political awareness; Karen Lynch who creates salvaged yarn then crochets it into edgy dresses and believes rethinking waste enables endless opportunities; and Johanna Jansen who reconstructs men’s jeans into sturdy and androgynous garments.
Johanna Jansen’s denim refashion, worn by Pieter, 91-year-old Nick, and Joel.
Wearable art designers included: Erica Bates, it.justbe designs, who created a collection of garments using farm waste, plastic and various thrifted and treasured resources; costume designer Tahnya Morrison. wolF and bbE, created wearable art for a dystopian tribal clan; and Kathleen Hunt who creates jewellery using waste as resource.
Tahnya Morrison’s wearable art worn by Marjie, Olivia and Simon
To view more photos from the WornOUT wearable art runway, see this gallery by photographer Ilya Postnikov, who is on instagram @post_studio_au