hurrengoa
slow fashion. talking with tytti thusberg    “Wearable art”: I make clothes using recycled materials. They fantasy clothes, only to be worn at fashion shows, not out and about. My question was: Why do they make such impractical clothes out of luxurious materials at high level fashion shows? Why not make those clothes using waste materials or with poor, but elegant, materials? In that case, at least, the material costs aren’t high ... That said, I’m not against high level designers, many of them are also incredibly talented.
I’m working on art shows, clothes forms are used as sculptures, only to be seen, and they’re also a reflection. Each sculpture has its own story and title. “Recycled elegance” is the show’s title.
I also make clothes to be worn, using second-hand cloths or factory “waste materials”; I also want to use organic cotton in the future. Those clothes are completely practical, easy to wear, and you can put them into your washing machine. So I don’t limit myself to using new materials, but the materials do have to met with certain ethical criteria.
What is “slow fashion”?
I used the term “slow fashion” myself for the first time seven years ago, without even knowing that it was already an international movement. I wanted to do a demonstration project about moda mantsoa / moda lenta / slow fashion.
I liked the title Moda mantsoa / slow fashion as it’s a contradiction. Fashion’s often associated with consumerism and fast production. As a designer, I wanted to create something lasting, something not transitory, something with a soul, in my own style, independent, without taking into account the colours and shapes in fashion right now, something created using my own feelings and ideas. And I would do everything using “fair” production methods, both with regard to the environment and to workers’ rights.
There’s definitely a reflection behind your work, but, apart from the concept and the starting point, and using recycled materials in the clothes, just how important is it? Do you use recycled materials because they’re good raw materials of because it’s a “condition”?
As a designer, I try to make ethical, lasting fashion. For instance, I don’t agree with some working conditions (in countries such as China, India ...) and with some materials’ origins. For example, the cotton manufacturing process is highly polluting and I don’t want to contribute to that. It’s an ethical decision. If manufacturing and work conditions are met, I’m happy. Until now, all of my production has been done in the Basque Country, in the Egia district of Donostia.
You don’t find yourself limited by not using “new” raw materials?
No, I think I have less limits. The usual cloths do limit your results. But with recycled materials, you can make anything. But, of course, I do take great care not to create any old bugle botch job. I try to see potential beauty in waste materials. If I find it, I go ahead, always taking aesthetics and usability into account.
You took part in the first international Lasting Design forum in Costa Rica. What type of experience was that?
It was a very enriching experience, above all because of the people I met there. I met some wonderful people. We shared our experiences and worries about lasting design. It doesn’t matter where people come from if you have the same sensibility as they do. Design’s an international language, and more so if it’s lasting design. Costa Rica’s a very interesting, rich country; they have many environmental projects and a lot of micro climates. It’s a very appropriate place for a forum like that.

clothes: neumatic clothes by benedetta orsoli from firenze. sack cloth clothes by jane punds from washington. all the rest are made by tytti thusberg, the most beautiful euskara accent from Suomi. photos: aitor goenaga, alar basurko, amaia gazta aldalur, irati aguado bejarano, ivan mazzei, marisa arbide bufi, nekane lazkano vargas, olatz salaberria, patricia imbert under the direction of photographer gisli ari hafsteinsson