Craft of Use – Photoshoot

Every item of clothing has a story to tell. We are documenting local stories and portraits of garments and wearers for this year’s Fashion Revolution Week event Interwoven.

Maybe your grandmother made it for you and it reminds you of her, or you’ve just had it so long you can’t get rid of it. Maybe you’ve mended it so many times it’s no longer the same fabric it started as, or it was something you bought with your first paycheck and it means the world to you.

Whether it tells a story of your past or reminds you who you can be in the future. The Craft of Use displays how our wearing and caring of our clothing reveals our identity.

This project won’t be possible without YOU – so please wear your favourite/most cherished outfit to Lancaster Market Square on Friday 15th March between 12pm and 2pm. Have your photo taken by local artist/photographer Ginny Koppenhol and share your connection to the outfit in a quick interview (written or recorded). 

There will be a second photoshoot during the opening night of Interwoven on 2 May. 

Whether we care about designer brands, the newest trends or vintage scores, finding fulfilment in extending the life of our clothes needs to be front and centre to our approach to sustainability. Honouring individual style and identity through clothing – from plain white tees and classic jeans to handmade, patched and mismatched – is important. But we need to consider the socio-environmental impact of the life cycle of the garments from production, purchase, and care, to eventual discard.

To celebrate our individuality and clothing that tells stories, Sewing Cafe Lancaster is creating a photographic archive called ‘The Craft of Use’. We are working with local artist Ginny Koppenhol for this project to capture portraits of beloved clothing.

The Craft of Use Portrait Project is inspired by Kate Fletcher’s work, which has been published in a book by the same name. We will welcome Kate to Lancaster this May as a keynote speaker for the Fashion Revolution Week event where the portraits taken by Ginny will be on display.

If you are unable to attend either event but want to submit your photo and story for the project, please use This Link.

Here are some beautiful examples, for the full stories you’ll have to join us 2-4 May in the Storey Gallery, and we will also be hosting the archive on our website after the event. 

“The jumper is threadbare in places and has been mended both visibly and invisibly in many places. Always handwashed. I think this gives it a feeling of being cared for, as an old, loved companion should be.” – Enda on her favourite outfit

“The brand was Avoca, an Irish manufacturer. The garment was in a dire state – quite the dirtiest item I’ve ever seen in a charity shop, although the coat must have been owned by a very keen smoker, as the arms were nicotine yellow and there were even fag ends in the pocket.” – Katrina on her favourite jacket

“It’s been carefully mended many times but now bigger holes have appeared so it’s time to move on to some bolder and more visible techniques and possibly adding on freshly knitted cuffs. It’s definitely got many more years of wearing ahead. Who’s turn next?” – Tom on his favourite jumper

“I love the colours of this blouse, it cheers me up every time I wear it! I got it for my mum donkey years ago, it’s from a fast fashion brand, and over a decade later I’m still wearing it, I haven’t had to mend it even once! I wash it by hand though, because I want it to outlive me.” – Victoria on her favourite blouse