Years ago, I remember reading something on the topic of recycled and eco-friendly fashion…I don’t remember exactly what the point of the article was, but I do recall the writer pointing out the superiority of repurposed clothes that didn’t *look* repurposed. As though a garment or item is inferior if you can tell that it was made from something else—that clothes are only desirable as long as they appear to be made from previously untouched, brand new materials.
This is a matter of personal taste of course, and while I can understand the sentiment (when I first tried my hand at upcycling, I made some pretty questionable pieces…!), I don’t necessarily agree with it.
There is something quite lovely about knowing a piece has a story. And story aside: things like texture, perceived imperfections, and other unexpected accents? These can add so much to the beauty and character of a piece.
This is why I adore visible mending. It’s a way of repairing clothing in which the repair is intentionally apparent. You can see the garment was loved enough to earn some wear and tear, but it’s been restored so it can continue to serve the wearer.
Visible mending is one of those things that combines extreme practicality with extreme creativity. It gives otherwise basic clothing a very personal feel. It’s also a great platform for practicing stitches and techniques, or using the odd bit of yarn or precious scrap material. There are a lot of reasons to love it.
I have yet to immerse myself into the world of visible mending as I would like (mostly because many of my clothes are still in decent shape–what?!), but I have long admired those who make a regular practice of it. These are a few menders whose work I enjoy ogling on instagram…if you like these, be sure to check out more of their work on their profiles!
Kate Sekules, known as @visiblemend on instagram, is a mender, author, and academic )whose book I do not yet own, but hope to soon!)
Tom Van Deijnen, known as @tomofholland, is an artist and maker interested in sustainability and textile history, and explores that through his blog, exhibits, and more.
Lily Fulop, or @mindful_mending, is also an author on a mission to save clothes from the landfill– check out this super sweet mend!
Collingwood-Norris Mending– @visible_creative_mending on instagram–offers ethical Scottish knitwear, and teaches people how to creatively care for their clothes. I absolutely love these samples from a recent workshop!
Ekaterina, or @ekaterinahaak, is an artist sharing inspiration and ideas. I love how she changed this timid mend into something spectacular!
