WORKSHOP conducted by Seçil Uğur Yavuz, at Fashion Revolution event, Bergamo.
The aim of this workshop is to mend second-hand garments by embedding stories into them. The participants of the workshop pick a random garment from the pile of second-hand clothes and can repair this garment by using conductive yarns, which then turn the garment into a touch sensor to activate a sound file. The voice of the garment is given by each participant through a fictional story that they write when they first encounter the garment. The workshop format and the tools bring an additional value to second-hand garments by embedding a story of the garment and putting the wearer into an unusual interaction with the garment. By experiencing this performative moment, the participants could link themselves with the garments. This shift on perceiving a garment as a living being could bring a discourse on the issue of “care”. Technology here functions as an enabler that makes the dialogue between the wearer and garment possible. In this case, since the artifact that is embedded with technology is wearable, there is also a strong link with the body that brings the interaction into a more intimate dimension. While mending these garments by embedding stories into them, the participants can also repair their emotional bond with these artifacts.
Date: September, 2020