Knowing the story behind an item of clothing is extremely important to artist Sally Young.
Creating unique and quirky one-off keepsake pieces out of vintage, recycled or eco friendly materials is what she does to bring back sustainability to fashion.
Mrs Young is opening up her studio in Mumballup for the first time this weekend as a way to bring back the memories evoked within clothes and to tell her customers the story behind what they buy.
The 42-year-old Fairview Primary School art teacher said fashion and art has always been a childhood love.
“My grandma was a seamstress, she sewed all my clothes as a little girl and I inherited her sewing table which I remember vividly sitting there and watching her counting her buttons and watching her sew,” she said.
“I’ve still got clothes that she made for me that went through all the children in our family, all mum’s friends children and my daughter also wore them and now they’re stored away.
“It’s just the quality and the memory behind them and I wouldn’t dare throw them out. I would rip it up and make it into something before I threw it in the bin.”
Using as much natural fibre as possible Mrs Young said she creates mostly felted, silk and marino wearable art which she has had clients wear to a wedding, the UK races and has had offers to do runway shows at New York and Paris Fashion Week.
“The thing with wearable art is that it isn’t in fashion or out of fashion, it just is. You can wear it if you’re young and you can wear it if you’re old. You just got to dare to wear it,” she said.
Finding a lot of her material in opp shops Mrs Young said although the fashion industry was slowly starting to turn around fast fashion was still a huge issue.
“With fast fashion you get that spur of the moment ‘I got a bargain’ or that instant gratification, whereas the gratification for a slow fashion garment is the history and the memory that is passed down,” she said.
“The sustainability behind a garment is the story behind it and the experience behind it. In the fast fashion world the consumerism is hideous, but so is the manufacturer.
“Children and adults are getting paid next to nothing and the places are falling down around them. They’re living to work, not working to live and it’s horrible.
“That’s what I try to avoid it altogether, 95 percent of my wardrobe is vintage or second hand. I just love the thrill of the find and wearing something quirky.”
Mrs Young will have her studio open all weekend as part of the Preston River Valley Artisan Trail and will continue to open by appointment from then on wards. To book an appointment contact her on 0429821764.
