Ever wondered who made your clothes? What it took to get to a point where it is now one of your favourite items in your closet. Here is a chance to get to know the ins and outs of your garments supply chain.
Monochrome Magazine is a platform that celebrates the creatives from all over Namibia and the world. We have taken up space in celebrating those driving the sustainability vehicle as well.
Fashion Revolution is one of the biggest platform drivers in advocacy work around the causes of climate change and how the fashion industry is a massive contributing factor. They also work on educating individuals, organizations and institutions to curb their carbon footprint.
During the course of 2019, Lucia Petschnig in collaboration with Cherie Birkner from Sustainable Fashion Matterz and Mariana Morrell from Desvista produced a short film during Fashion Revolution Week.
We had the chance to sit down with Lucia Petschnig, a Freelance Content Creator, Photographer and Videographer based between Namibia, Cape Town, Netherlands and the rest of the world of course and talk about the how she is using her craft to create awareness around sustainability in the Fashion Industry.
What are you most passionate about
I’ve always loved the process of experimentation as a creative, it helps me grow the spectrum I work in and allows me to expand my knowledge and the application of my work.
I often felt that with every project that comes and goes by, I am merely experimenting and learning new ways of seeing and expressing the things I’ve just learnt. My passion lies in dabbling in unknown fields and spaces, educating myself on the underlying topics of the fashion industry where I happen to find myself as a creative and applying these learnings to the projects that I do. A lot of this process comes with unlearning what I have been taught before and shifting my perspective to see through different lenses.
What part does sustainability play in your work and why is it important to you?
Sustainability for me as a visual communicator means rethinking what my work stands for and what organisations I support with my time.
I used to dream about shooting for international brands, and unfortunately, the fashion industry can afford to market itself through creatives to hide most of it’s underlying faults to the naked eye through beautiful storytelling and branding.
My role in sustainability is to stand up as a creative for a more transparent fashion industry, where you can educate yourself on the value of clothing and the power you have as an individual who purchases clothing pieces. I see fashion as art because it is handled by a human being and thus it should be valued and cared for, the same way in which art is cared for.
What is the future of fashion looking like? for you and Namibia
The future of fashion to me looks like less. Less of buying stuff and making stuff. More education and value to all the pieces rotating on this earth.
The future of fashion in Namibia looks local. We need to bring it home. The textiles, the designers, we have it all and they need more support and education in setting up ethical practices!
What exactly needs to be done in order to change create awareness around sustainability in the industry?
Self-education and peer-education are essential to creating awareness around sustainability in the fashion industry. The fact is every human on this planet caries clothing on their bodies and only a small percentage know the impact of buying decisions and consumption traps. If we don’t know anything is wrong, how can we know what is right? “It is up to us to see beyond the glitz and glamour and be interested in using our choices to make a difference.” The craziest thing is that most information lies a google away and we just need to take that step to inform ourselves and others.
Who do you hope to reach through your recent work on #whomademyclothes
I’d like to reach everyone. I know a lot of people that wouldn’t count themselves in the target because they are not interested in the fashion industry. We all wear clothes. And they become a part of what we are in our everyday lives. So we need to all ask the question on who made my clothes because we are all apart of this incomplete puzzle. I’d also love to reach creatives like you and me, that are able to spread awareness on this topic and use their marketing power to support topics outside of our comfort zones.
What advice do you have for aspiring photographers to start their career?
I’d say stay curious and experimental and always follow what feels right for yourself! The creative industry is a really tricky space to be in and you need constant endurance and passion to keep flowing in the right direction. As long as you are true to yourself and your values nothing can stand in your way.
Lucia is actively working on incorporating her craft into creating awareness around sustainability.
Here is how you can contribute to change
Turn your clothes inside out, show your label and snap a photo, share it on social media and tag the brands you want to ask #whomademyclothes and @fashionrevolutioniseveryday and @fash_rev.
