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Bahraini fashion designer Haya AlFadhel turned heads in a thought-provoking T-shirt that urged people to question where their clothing comes from, in a bid to raise awareness about fashion, its makers and sustainability.
The 30-year-old postgraduate student, who is currently living in the UK, wore a T-shirt in December last year for her university project that revolved around the boundaries of activism in the Middle East and its impact on people.
The T-shirt, that asked ‘Do you know who made your clothes’, made its round for a week at malls in Bahrain, at restaurants, cafes and outings with friends.
“I wanted people to think of something that they never usually think of – where do their clothes come from and who made them?” explained Haya who is completing her Masters in sustainable fashion in London College of Fashion where she is exploring different perspectives on how to change the current fashion system.
“It did strike up some conversations, mainly with friends and acquaintances. We talked about the reality of the fashion industry and how people can change it by changing their shopping habits.”
She added that back in the day, there used to be a connection between clothes and its makers.
“We knew the local tailors,” said the founder of Swatch of Style, a brand in which fabrics and excess material are being upcycled into pretty pieces that aim to add a touch of pizazz to any outfit. “Clothes meant more to us. We cherished them and that meant that clothes lasted longer with us. However, there is a disconnect with where we get our clothes now and who makes them as we buy ready to wear garments from big stores.
“They don’t mean anything to us and that results in a shorter lifespan that adds to the waste created by the fashion industry. It is also important to care for the people who are providing us with these clothes by working in terrible conditions.
“We are all unknowingly contributing to workers’ struggles.”
How true that is, as her statement shirt also acted as a reminder of the tragic blaze in Bangladesh’s Rana Plaza that took the lives of 1,132 people and injured more than 2,500 individuals.
“The Rana Plaza was a building that housed five garment factories for the top global fast fashion brands and that building collapsed in 2013 sadly killing and injuring so many,” explained the creative director of fashion brand Naseem AlAndalos and founder of Nesma Studio. “That was not an isolated incident, but it is the most tragic to happen in the fashion industry and it sheds light on the issues around workers’ rights, their safety and wellbeing as fast fashion companies try to cut costs to sell us cheap clothes at the expense of garment workers’ livelihood.”
Haya believes there is progress in making the fashion industry cleaner and more ethical, albeit slow, but the main problem is overconsumption. However, how clothes are made and how fashion is perceived can make the difference ... which she considers when creating her designs.
She just launched a new summer collection called Boheme using fabrics such as organic sustainable linen and cotton. Her looks were all made in Bahrain in her studio in Calidus Centre, Riffa.
“The collection is inspired from Bohemia, the unconventional life that is influenced by art,” she said. “It’s more of a take on a Bohemain Arab lifestyle and what a blend of our heritage with a bit of art and inspiration from other influences could mean. And what better place to shoot this collection than at the Bahraini artist Abbas AlMosawi’s gallery, who has been an inspiration to all of us growing up with his unique and unconventional art – a true Bohemian and revolutionary of his time.”
The collection includes a lot of colours and some subtle embroideries that are mainly done by hand showcasing intricate craftsmanship. She also added hair accessories that are upcycled and done through their own textile offcuts.
For details, visit @hayakhalifa22 on Instagram.
