Dairu Ren’s designs are like something out of a fairy tale. In the lookbook for ‘Grandma’s Horror Stories’ it transports me into my childhood where reality and make believe collides. You can see the inspiration and references and observe how they translate to the designs.
Artist’s Statement:
In today’s day and age, the fashion industry all over the world is being consumed by fast fashion. According to Kate Fletcher, a pioneer in the fields of fashion and sustainability, “Developing a garment with a cultural and emotional connection is also pertinent to the purpose behind slow fashion,” and she goes on to say that “consumers will keep an article of clothing for longer than one season if they feel emotionally or culturally connected to the article of clothing.”
The answer to today’s fast fashion and design is to purchase garments and accessories that have been handmade. Nevertheless, the purpose of this is not merely to address the issue of environmental pollution stemming from the source of the material and the source of the manufacturing pollution. This represents a shift in the way that one thinks. Because of this step, our personal, emotional, or cultural ties have been sparked, and now we are concentrating on spending our time and developing our great craftsmanship. It re-establishes a stronger connection between us and the garments we wear, elevating them above the status of merely a commodity produced by fast fashion factories and sold elsewhere.
Each collection by Dairu Ren tells a unique and fascinating story through meticulously created components. She desires to merge the fine craftsmanship of slow fashion with avant-garde design and to strike a balance between functionality and artistry. Dairu derives most of her inspiration from the production process, and she hopes that people can immerse themselves in this intricate art form. Her knitting is becoming increasingly imaginative and adventurous as she incorporates various materials and traditional yarns. She redefines and emphasizes the ways in which clothing may connect persons and its impact on society, thereby enabling fashion to serve as a conversation starter for complicated social issues.
images via Dairu Ren (dairuren.com) @_r.e.n
