Upcycle Aesthetic – Patchwork

Patchwork is a technique that involves sewing together small pieces of fabric to create a larger design. Its roots date back all the way back to ancient times when it was a technique for quilting together pieces of fabric for clothes, drapes, and even armor [1]. The pieces of fabric typically are cut into basic geometric shapes and sewed together into a repeating pattern, or sometimes to make up an image. 

The technique experienced a revival in the United States during the Great Depression when it was used to recycle old clothing into quilts [2]. Despite its rich history, patchwork only started to be recognized as a fashionable aesthetic during the 1960’s thanks to the hippie movement [2]. The appeal of patchwork pieces was its handmade look, a result of a collection of unique and bright colored fabrics that communicated the wearer’s individuality, freedom, and personality, which was a contrast to the “cleaner” look of mainstream fashion. 

While the fashion movement was meant to be a counterculture, the patchwork look eventually made it to high fashion. For example, designer Thea Porter took inspiration from a kaftan (a common garment worn in Turkey and Morocco) when she lived in the Middle East during the 1960s. Her kaftan was made with a patchwork of antique fabrics and luxurious silk [2]. This type of patchwork garment could then only be afforded by the affluent. 

Similarly, Gucci, despite being a luxury brand, wanted to emphasize a “handmade” feel with their 2007 spring/summer bag by integrating patchwork elements [2]. While this is proof that the patchwork aesthetic is alive and well even in the 21st century, its prominence in high-fashion speaks to how the aesthetic has transformed from its humble origins as a economical technique for reusing fabrics. 

Recently, my brother was doing some spring cleaning for his bedroom. For me, that means new clothes! Because my brother has a bigger frame than me, a lot of his clothes can be a do-able, “oversized” fit. However, the biggest shame has always been that his jeans rarely fit. Luckily, one pair of his jeans did fit, and taking inspiration from its patchwork aesthetic, I wanted to repurpose his other jeans into a tote bag that I could use!

For the pair of patchwork jeans, I really like the contrast of the different washes and the different-sized patches even though it relies entirely on denim fabric. Therefore, I will also like to stick to only using denim fabric and utilizing varying washes and sizes of patches to create an interesting pattern.

The tentative vision is as follows:

• Create a tote bag by upcycling my brother’s jeans
• Use varying sized rectangles to create the patchwork entirely of denim
• Keep elements of the jeans (ie. pockets, buttons, belt straps, etc.) to give homage to the bag’s original form as pants and to also make the bag pop more

I am excited to explore the patchwork aesthetic, as I could potentially take on future projects and create more useful/aesthetic pieces from clothes my family no longer values. 

References:

[1] “Patchwork.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patchwork 

[2] “Patchwork Fashions.” Victoria and Albert Museum, https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/patchwork-fashions