On deconstructionism in fashion

Deconstructionism was first thought of by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida in the 1960s. In its original form, it was an approach to reading texts, paying close attention to the unintended use of language. It has been present in fashion since the 1970s and usually features unfinished seams, transparent construction, and possibly the evidence of previous garment forms. Designers particularly famous for the use of deconstruction range from the Japanese greats Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons), though it has reached such a wide range that at this point just about every trendy brand has made a pair of jeans with the hems apparently undone or the bottom of a denim jacket chopped off. 

Rumor has it that at least one of the top fashion schools has banned the use of deconstruction in student work, and it is easy to see why. It can come across as lazy to not finish seams, or to work with garments another established brand has spent hours of work crafting to technical perfection. However, I think those who brush off deconstruction in fashion are not only making a grave mistake in dismissing an important and clever post-modern art form, but also discouraging many from pursuing a sustainable way of producing clothes.

To take apart an old pair of jeans and see the unintended contrast in saturation between the seam allowance and the rest of the fabric, or under the pockets, where the wash process or wear and tear couldn't reach, is to think about them as more than just a well-designed object. Furthermore, to take these shapes that resulted from an technical design process meant to flatter the form, is to discover new and beautiful shapes you could likely never get out of a rectangular piece of fabric. To show the seams on the outside of the garment, or to expose a zipper, is to think about the whole process of constructing garments. This way of making garments allows the pieces to be engaged with not just by the wearer or the maker, but also the viewer, and allows all involved to take nothing in the process for granted.

To take an old pair of jeans and remake them into something new is also to save an old pair of jeans from a destiny somewhere in a landfill. With our current state of consumption, reducing the volume of clothes that end up in fashion-heaven can be described as nothing but a noble venture. Two of the most notable of these examples are the Needles 7 Cuts Flannel and the reworked Levi's from Vetements. Less iconic designs (because they are all one offs) can be found made by Japanese brand Kapital. In the case of all of these, thrift store finds are being reimagined in varying degrees of new forms and sold at a luxury price point. 

*I must admit my bias in writing this ode to deconstruction, as I am one myself. I just love taking garments that are easily recognizable as one thing and examining their relationship to the form and to the process of production. Showing the seams and zippers and the work of others in my own re-imagination of them, I feel, simply lends a depth to my designs that I could never find with my own pattern-work and perfectly finished pieces.

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