THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM
Designed, and made, by Isabelle Saxton.
Designer's Note, March 2022. The world of sustainability is a field that welcomes new members, and encourages constant learning, and innovation. As a young professional, and sustainability master's degree student, I have discovered the unsustainability of some materials that I used to believe were completely sustainable: second-hand synthetics, and sheep's wool. The former does not align with a regenerative economy, and cannot be recycled forever, and the latter can emit vast quantities of methane (I sourced from an organic farm, which is better than a conventional farm, but a regenerative farm would be nature's best choice for reducing greenhouse gas emissions). The nuances in the field of sustainability are what captivate, and inspire, me to do better. My corporate sustainability professors teach that companies must be transparent about their sustainability progress but also their mistakes. Therefore, my future designs will exclusively use recycled, second-hand, deadstock, and regenerative organic materials. I hope that my learning experience can make the world of sustainability seem more accessible, and inspire you to begin, or continue your sustainability journey. If I can help, please send me a message. Love always, Isabelle.
Photography by Melissa Nyquist, unless otherwise stated.
For your viewing pleasure: A playlist which is embedded in the energy of the collection.
My impossible dream is for everyone to be sustainable by choice, not by guilt tripping people into thinking that it's the best thing to do, so they do it for five minutes and then stop, but by educating them on the facts and allowing them to reconfigure their lifestyle to be more responsible socially and environmentally.
My mash up aesthetic comes from finding workwear in a scrap store and noticing the irony of them being the most attention grabbing things on the street yet when a passerby sees them, they look the other way, and pay them no attention. I think this same irony is happening with sustainability.
I use deliberately provocative language to convey the urgency for the fight of the welfare of the planet and elicit an emotional response from the viewer.
Please contact me to request a copy of the Thesis Essay.
