TECHNIQUE
49. Deconstruct and Reconstruct
In the name of sustainability as well as style, Shannon Glasheen designs
many designers are taking unwanted clothes
apart and refashioning them into completely
different and original garments. In the interest
of making good use of the mountains of dis-
carded fashions that sit in closets, thrift stores,
and warehouses around the globe-if they have
not already been relegated to landfills-these
designers transform the secondhand and the un-
sold into relevant new fashions. This repurposing
resonates with a generation of fashion enthusi-
asts concerned with the environment.
Designer Shannon Glasheen applies all her train
ing in pattern making and construction to repur
pose garments that may be outdated, well worn,
or misunderstood. Breathing new life into pieces
such as these requires that the designer look at
each item as raw material and not as a finished
product. Once dissected, there may also be very
specific sections of a garment that can be reori
ented to serve a new purpose. Building hybrids is
another variation of this method, where elements
from various garments are remixed into a
designer mashup.
For designers working within the confines of
a business model with different demands, the
deconstruct/reconstruct approach to the design
process can be incorporated as an aesthetic from
the start, utilizing it to develop sample garments
that can then be replicated.
104 Fashion Design Essentials
