In April, for Fashion Revolution Week, we posted an IGTV talking about two of our loved items. Marthe left a comment, a few months later, which said, “Sometimes I rewatch this, because I love it and it inspires me.” That comment warmed our hearts and inspired us to start this series. We want to share more of our loved items and the stories behind them, but we’d also like to have other’s join us in telling the stories behind their loved items too. So, welcome to a new cnscs_ series. Today, as an introduction to the series, we wanted to share a bit about two more of our most cherished items.
Masego’s loved item:
I thrifted these jeans at the St.Luke’s Hospice in Fish Hoek in 2013, while I was still in high school. They were my favourite jeans and one night, while out with friends, I fell into a ditch and tore them at the knee, giving them that classic distressed look. Over the years my love for the distressed look waned and while I loved the fit of the jeans, I found myself reaching for them less and less. This year, while looking into different textile and sewing techniques, I remembered my mom showing me images of Boro garments. Boro (ぼろ) is a traditional Japanese patchwork style. The word derives from boroboro which means to be worn-out or torn. Boro was popular amongst rural lower-income communities in 19th century Japan. Inspired by this, I decided to boro my jeans. While boro uses sashiko stitching technique, boro is the act of repairing. I’ve since fallen back in love with these jeans.
Stella’s loved item:
This green coat belonged to my great-grandmother, so my mom’s grandmother. She never knew me, but I feel like I carry around a part of her when I wear this coat. That’s what makes heirloom pieces so special and irreplaceable – they are sort of like a time capsule that holds memories from a time you’ll never know. I love the attention to detail and the craftsmanship of garments from that time – they were really made to last. What enchants most about this coat is the colour. It is the perfect moss green. The buttons are also super cute and remind me of an art deco building – the same moss green colour with silver detailing. I wish I knew how my great-grandmother used to style this coat, but I like to layer it on top of many warm winter layers on gloomy days, because it dresses up simple outfits and makes me feel like I’ve actually put effort into my outfit! It’s in mint condition and I hope to pass it down one day too.
We look forward to sharing more of the stories behind our treasured pieces, and hearing about some of the stories behind your loved clothes, as we continue this series.
With love,
Masego & Stella x
cnscs_ 