The timing could not have been better for Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald to publish her book Modern Mending and open an online shop for mending supplies as the coronavirus pandemic sent the population into lockdown, with time to mend.
As a Melbourne-based former journalist, editor and photo journalist who’s been teaching mending at workshops for six years, Erin had the skill set to produce this book she knew was needed to address modern-day mending for items such as jeans and t-shirts.
Mending has three magic factors happening at the moment:
- The rise of visible mending started on Instagram and pinterest about 10 years ago and Tom of Holland coined the hashtag #visiblemending. Invisible mending is skilled work and hard for those who didn’t learn to sew at school so they are not going to take the time to get to that point. Visible mending has made it more contemporary and accessible.
- The second factor is the environment because people are starting to care more about sustainability when it comes to their clothing. They are realising they buy too many clothes and can start fixing up the holes and rips in things they have already got.
- The third thing is coronoavirus. Mending is a really good project to do when stuck at home and staring at your wardrobe – you are not going to go out shopping. This third factor is driven by the first two factors – now is the time to begin mending.
Listen to our ARISING from Disruption #12 conversation, or read the notes at bottom.