What is customizing?
It means adjusting the garment to be more wearable, to your taste and measurements. Do this by washing (see for eco friendly options my blog post on eco washing), cutting, sewing, painting, printing on the fabric. You can combine the cloth with another piece of clothing or adding lacing to make it more ‘one size fits most’. Adding cuffs/ longer sleeves to make it more unisex, for example. Make it unique!
What is upcycling or downcycling?
Upcycling is making something more of an object and downcycling is using the different parts. For instance, i make my own ribbons of the left over silk fabric i used. See this upcycled bodypiece.
Altering designer clothes seems a shame, why do you do this?
Someone has to! Do not throw away your clothes. Get them repaired. Give them to people like me. Nice garments can easily be upcycled. You don't even need much water. Be more eco and.
Because I like to show awareness of slow /fast fashion. You don’t need to throw away your garment when it has a stain. On my website you can find all kinds of (environmentally friendly) washing methods. Or pick up sewing, weaving and painting. And of course have it altered by notthatsexy.
Do you cut up all the items?
No, not all. If you sell your clothes via NotThatSexy you can tell which ones I can re-use. If a nice dress is broken, I would like to repair it. I do send anything broken. My approach is artistic, sculptural, experimental. I can go as far as you want. I start minimal.
Is this an ego thing?
NotThatSexy is an art project with a strong female point of view. I would like to refer to a filosofical book written by Roland Barthes in 1968, called "Death of the Author". My look on this is that i love to be part of a canon, a tradition. I feel designers as Margiela also like this theory.
Copy or canon?
I get inspired by designers just as big fashion houses look at streetstyle, Instagram new talents and vintage, etc. I feel empowered being part of a cultural tradition and the complete canon of (applied) art, ideas and fashion design.
Carefully i am adding bits and pieces to the canon of eco life. I look for expression, truth, essence. I try to add something, with love and conscience.
What did you study?
In the 2000s i studied fashion design, printmaking and writing at different art academies in Utrecht and Amsterdam, Netherlands. I am an all round conceptual artist. I can make fancyful drawings and i am very daring in designing outfits.
You can support buy donating textile, money or buying the products. And, of course, bring your consignment pieces!
Get a discount on my new work, new printed fabric or vintage designer goods. use coupon code at check out : ONEYEARDISCOUNT www.etsy.com/shop/NotThatSexy.