Nathan Slate
United Kingdom
Waist
This collection explores the invisibility of air pollution by using silk as a reactive surface to capture exhaust fumes. Delicate fabrics absorb and reveal pollutants, transforming unseen everyday toxins into visible marks. Using only natural and sustainable materials, the collection highlights how environmental damage silently affects both materials and the human body.
The collection is inspired by the current landscape of sustainable fashion and the global economy. It examines the idea that pollution surrounds us constantly yet often goes unnoticed because it is invisible, from deodorants and traffic emissions to oil consumption. The work is also influenced by artists such as Ana Mendieta.
Denim and raw silk dyed with exhaust fumes for dark tones and iron for red hues. Rainwater and steam are used in the dyeing process. A beeswax-coated denim skirt is dyed using sunlight and embroidered with seed pods resembling insects. Healing herbs, dried flowers, and essential oils are embedded within the fabrics. Silk and grass feathers mimic oil spills that harm wildlife, while oyster shells symbolize natural filtration.
This collection explores the invisibility of air pollution by using silk as a reactive surface to capture exhaust fumes. Delicate fabrics absorb and reveal pollutants, transforming unseen everyday toxins into visible marks. Using only natural and sustainable materials, the collection highlights how environmental damage silently affects both materials and the human body.
The collection is inspired by the current landscape of sustainable fashion and the global economy. It examines the idea that pollution surrounds us constantly yet often goes unnoticed because it is invisible, from deodorants and traffic emissions to oil consumption. The work is also influenced by artists such as Ana Mendieta.
Denim and raw silk dyed with exhaust fumes for dark tones and iron for red hues. Rainwater and steam are used in the dyeing process. A beeswax-coated denim skirt is dyed using sunlight and embroidered with seed pods resembling insects. Healing herbs, dried flowers, and essential oils are embedded within the fabrics. Silk and grass feathers mimic oil spills that harm wildlife, while oyster shells symbolize natural filtration.