Ophir El-Boher MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2019

The Eternal Return of the New

The clothing we all wear is produced through a broken system. The fashion industry is confronting huge challenges in its relation to environments. In both sides of this linear system, we are reaching the limit of exploiting our natural and social ecosystems.

How might we produce, acquire, use and dispose of clothes in ways that benefit environments rather than harm them?

Upcycling is a process of bringing wasted resources back into a production cycle with added value. During the last few years, a growing interest in upcycling appeared within the fashion industry, from bloggers refashioning old clothing to engineers respinning shredded and melted fibers, making new fashion out of wasted materials is the hottest trend of the season.

Beyond the boundaries of the fashion field, citizens create clothes in the spirit of Bricolage—reclaiming not just the physical materials, but the crafts of mending and making, back into their everyday life. This movement of makers challenges one main factor in waste production: consumption.

How might we use fashion to balance global growth in consumption?

This project provides makers with reclaimed materials and full instructions to create “your own designer outfit” with minimal expertise needed. Through the activity of making a desired fashion item, I explore opportunities to empower the maker and inspire a behavioral shift. This intervention in the everyday life acts as a catalyst for systemic design, centered around designing the experience rather than focusing on the object.

SJ Bowden MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2021

Inbar Sharon MA Design Systems Thesis 2022

Ameenah Carroll MA Design Systems Thesis 2022

Maddy Silberger-Franek MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2022

Katie Vellman MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2023

Miguel Rodriguez MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2023

Brendy Hale MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2023

Betsy Lance MA Design Systems Thesis 2021

Samantha Caruthers-Knight MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2021

Katherine Mitchell MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2018

Amelia Bauerly MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2019

Andrew Mears MA Design Systems Thesis 2019

Ophir El-Boher MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2019

Amber Marsh MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2019

Mijounga Chang MA Design Systems Thesis 2020

Emilie Jensen MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2020

Audrey Lewis MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2020

Leah Payne MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2020

Katie Scott MFA Collaborative Design Thesis 2020

Alicia Navarrette MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2015

Jake Mcintire MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2015

Jessica Stein MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2015

Jessica Riehl MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2015

Olivia Guethling CD MFA Practicum 2015

Crystal Rome MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2015

Emilie Skytta MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2014

Peter Tichnell MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2014

Colin Cheong MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2016

Celina Coppetti Collaborative Design MFA Practicum 2017

Joel Newman Collaborative Design MFA Practicum 2017

Michelle Vorce Collaborative Design MFA Practicum 2017

Amanda Schurr Collaborative Design MFA Practicum 2017

Kailey Fry MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2015

Alicia DeMellier MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2018

Jacob Richardson MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2014

Katie Mays CD MFA Practicum Spring 2013

Emma Conley CD MFA Practicum Spring 2013

Shannon Paine MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2015

Melody Rowell MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2015

Luke Zimmerman MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2016

Matthew McCasland MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2016

Asa Wright MFA Collaborative Design Practicum 2016