Fashioned from Nature

I returned to London at the weekend, after a rather eventful journey (I managed to leave my passport in the front pocket of the bag that was, at the last minute, put in the hold) and the weather was wonderfully warm.
 On Sunday I decided to go and see the new exhibition at the V&A,  Fashioned from Nature.  It explores the relationship between fashion and nature, from inspiration to exploitation, with a thought-provoking section on sustainability.
It is an important exhibition, one that needs to be visited more than once. I certainly intend returning, at the earliest and I will probably buy the catalogue too, except that with all the books I amass soon my apartment will resemble a public library.
If there is a fault in this exhibition, it is the usual one: a degree of ethnocentrism in considering fashion as entirely Euro-American. Sure, there are comments on British colonial  power and its emphasis on  profitable global exploitation of natural resources, but it goes without saying that such a detail could not be omitted, for the sake of historical accuracy.
 The V&A has a great collection of Asian textiles, many of which , at the very least, are inspired by nature, whereas others are made with natural materials.  I would surmise that it should not have been difficult to integrate a few such pieces in the exhibition.  Fashion is global:  it might be a good idea to move away from the usual notion that fashion only concerns the Western world or worse, that every fashion item  made in Asian countries is part of the fast fashion cycle.  I am not denying that, sadly,  the latter plays a huge role in Asia, but it is also true to say that fashion in Asia is a complex and nuanced phenomenon and is not just about manufacturing for Western brands, at lower wages,   polluting the environment in the process.
The exhibition occupies two floors. The section on the ground floor is historical and there is much to be learnt from the exhibits, some of which are undeniably beautiful though it is heart-rending to realise how exploitative they are of the natural world - from fur to beetle wing cases used for decoration on gorgeous dresses.

The section on the upper floor discusses modernism and moves on to sustainability and fashion futures, focussing on the fashion life-cycle. The dress worn by Emma Watson at the New York Metropolitan Museum Gala in 2016 is on display, as an example of how ethics and aesthetics can come together. The dress was made by Calvin Klein with recycled plastic bottles. This does not mean, of course,  that everything made by Calvin Klein is to be regarded as ethical fashion, only that this particular dress is.
There is a discussion of toxic threads, with an image of the 'Detox catwalk' held by Greenpeace in West Java,  Indonesia, in 2015,  to highlight the chemical pollution caused by the textile and clothing industries, with an impact on both wildlife and humans and on drinking water.

Like it or not, the fast fashion model still dominates the fashion industry. Awareness of these issues is not so widespread, not as much as it should be.
The good thing about this exhibition is that is forces us to ask ourselves questions and in particular why we need to concern ourselves with a responsible fashion. If we care about what we eat and drink, we should also care about what we wear next to our skins.
After seeing the exhibition,  I walked down Knightsbridge, soaking up the sun and stopped at some shops, searching for a pair of sandals. I checked out Harvey Nichols - not for my pocket, I went into Zara and exited as fast as I could - it was unbelievably crowded and the sandals were all cheap looking and not particularly well made, though very affordable. I went into Harrods  but I nearly got lost in it and again it was overrun with shoppers. I then came across a charity shop with a second -hand designer section in the basement. Out of curiosity I decided to go in. It was a wise decision as right there I found a beautiful pair of Lanvin sandals  from the 2009 summer collection. They fit me perfectly. They are  incredibly well crafted and very strong. I bought them for a slightly higher price  than a pair of Zara sandals, but I got so much more.

My sandals  needed some new heel protectors,  necessary to avoid slipping when walking.  I took them to my local MasterCobbler branch and the guy who took them in, without initially realising they were designer sandals, commented on how well made they were.  Nearly ten years old, limited edition, and still in great condition, heel protectors notwithstanding.
Whenever I can, I choose recycling. I believe it is important to do so.