Typography and Fashion: “Trends so hot, the world is on fire”
Rhinestones, denim, lace, buttons, yarn, fabric tape, embroidery
The cycle of trends in fashion is only getting shorter. Fast fashion exploits workers and harms the environment all to keep up with this cycle. Mass production of low-quality garments means stores become oversaturated with trendy pieces quickly. This results in most of these garments ending up in the landfill. Staying up to date with these “hot trends” only leads to more waste, and greater harm to our planet. The world is literally on fire. With this piece, I sought to call attention to the harm both fast fashion companies and consumers cause in the name of fashion. I applied type to different recycled garments to build an outfit that conveys this message, emulating some of the recent trends that have gone through the cycle.
Process & Details
My greatest challenge while putting this piece together was finding different ways to incorporate type onto clothing. Words on garments is not uncommon. The most common way is seen in items like graphic T-shirts. However, I wanted the phrase to be integrated in the whole outfit, not just words on a shirt. I started from the top down. In the planning stage I experimented with different placements for the type that followed the natural direction of the eye and the draping of fabrics. I considered vertical placements on the sleeves of the shirt as well as forming words on the belt using letter buckles. However, another challenge I faced was working within my abilities. When I approached this project, I had no sewing knowledge and a deadline coming too quickly for me to learn. However, I believe this to have worked in my favor. As the message of the piece is centered around sustainability, having each of the applications of the type being removable so I could wear the pieces again only strengthened the theme.
I also sought to represent different trends in the way I applied the type. The first word, “Trends,” is applied onto a beret freehanded with rhinestone stickers. Blackletter written in rhinestones reminded me of Juicy Couture, a Y2k brand known for its velour tracksuits that have seen a recent resurgence in popularity. Following the eye’s natural path downward to the chest, I used embroidery patch stickers for the words “so hot,” a catchy phrase I could see being printed on actual shirt. Baby tees with sassy phrases like this one are another recent trend. I’ve specifically seen quite a few using a typeface similar to this one, like the shirt Rosé wears on the single cover for “Number One Girl.” I tied the bottom of the T-shirt tightly around the waist of the dress form in order to mimic the fit of a baby tee. Next, “the world” is written in buttons sewn onto an open knit scarf. Even with limited sewing knowledge, I was able to tie the thread around the buttons to secure them to the scarf. Lastly, I made cutouts for the last few words on an old pair of jeans. I made sure to use a different wash of denim so it would stand out, but I also added lace and frill to the edges. Patchwork, as well as feminine details like lace trim are also currently trending. I used the yellow for the word “fire” to represent a flame.