The central theme of this master thesis is the use of handwork, both in the starting and the finishing process of designing a collection of women’s clothing. I researched the clothing traditions of African shamans called “the hyena men”, using the technique of visual storytelling – assembling collages, cutting out images and using those to build holistic narratives. Through this process, I arrived at specific work techniques, which now compose the main identity of the collection using a scalpel for cutting textiles by hand, weaving patterned ribbons and using scrap pieces of cloth, for creating a new nonwoven flat fabric. The main focus of this thesis are sustainable design principles, with an emphasis on the relationship between the designer and the consumer, as well as consumer behaviour. The collection represents a point of departure and an opening conversation between the designer and the consumer, on how the two might prolong the lifecycle of garments, by exercising responsibility and awareness. The central question being examined here, is whether work done by hand can increase the value of clothing and how that might contribute toward prolonging its lifetime. How does the end user perceive handwork and how does the latter define the user? The goal of this exercise is to establish a sustainable philosophy, based on three core principles - the garment can be reused and recycled; the garment entices the user to establish an emotional bond with it; the garment is part of a closed loop of use, reuse and recycling. The collection is a representation of the philosophy of self-sustainability and is integrated into a closed circle of cyclical use, even once the individual piece is no longer wearable, by establishing a collaboration between the designer and the final user, both of who take care of the garment together.
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