The clothing collection Vaguely Latvian
Brief description of the project
The clothing collection Vaguely Latvian is a continuation of the story that designer Sabīne Skarule began in her previous collection about “slow time”. The slow pace of everyday life during the pandemic inspired the author to study people's habits when it comes to doing nothing and the longing that accompanies this state of being. How could doing nothing – killing time – be more productive than doing anything? The clothing collection was created in Latvia, in collaboration with local craftspeople, and is the result of experimentation with new materials and their combinations.
Originality and creativity of the idea
The clothing collection was created in Latvia, in collaboration with local craftspeople, and is the result of experimentation with new materials and their combinations. People are used to perfectly polished, machine-made clothes that are thought out down to the seam, whereas we work by hand, we offer our clients a human touch and our time, and foster creativity in the process.
The underlying conceptual structure underlying the SKARULE brand is Baltic Nostalgia which is created using traditional handcraft techniques. The essence of the brand lies in the desire to break the so-called “Latvian code” in the field of fashion.
SKARULE draws inspiration from discussions about identity and the interplay of individual and collective memory in the landscape of contemporary visual culture.
SKARULE gūst iedvesmu no diskusijām par identitāti un individuālās un kolektīvās atmiņas mijiedarbības mūsdienu vizuālās kultūras ainavā.
Definition of the problem and the relevance of the applied solutions
There are enough clothes in the world so our goal is to create a larger story and the collection Vaguely Latvian is one part of it.
Challenges and goals when creating the collection:
– To create a clothing collection capable of competing in the global market.
– To maximize the sustainability and minimize the ecological impact of the product by using certified, innovative and environment-friendly materials.
– To promote and create a connection with Latvia.
– To be “transparent”
– To cooperate with Latvian craftspeople.
Co-creation, stakeholder involvement and cooperation during the realisation process
This clothing collection was presented at Paris Fashion Week. We have established a wonderful partnership with Selfridges&Co, in London. This is already the second project that we will present at the beginning of March.
The collection was created in collaboration with Latvian craftspeople, such as the weavers at Mailīšu Fabrika in Ērgļi, the knitter Henisa Siliņa from Ventspils, Inga Ozoliņa, Janīna K from Riga, and the laboratory of KnitwearLab in the Netherlands.
It was a special treat to work with photographer Sarah Blais and stylist Monika Tatalovic who flew from England to the Latvian countryside to capture the designer clothes created here.
We are working with StudioM_Paris to develop the campaign and our website.
The shoe design was created in collaboration with Kristofers Reidzāns.
Ar StudioM_Paris strādajm pie kampaņas un mājas lapas izstrādes.
Apavu dizains tapa kopīgi ar Kristoferu Reidzānu.
Functionality and technological solutions
In collaboration with Mailīšu Fabrika, we experimented with various combinations of yarn and technical solutions. We had to create several prototypes until we reached the desired result.
Despite its synthetic appearance, we used cactus leather because we wanted a breathable product, so we combined this innovative material with an organic cotton lining to make it pleasant to wear.
Aesthetics and other experiential dimensions
The brand highlights the passage of time and the designer's attitude towards it as essential to this collection. Not being preoccupied with the future or the past, SKARULE moves sideways and contains a nostalgic sensitivity that seems suffocated within the generally accepted boundaries of time and space. A brand for a modern spirit or a youthful "old soul", SKARULE dresses people who don't really fit in anywhere else but the streets of corporate and neoliberal cities, even if they actually yearn for fields and meadows.
Economic significance, sustainability and circularity
SKARULE is one of the first brands to cooperate with the company Desserto and test the organic material made from cacti. The material is a certified and innovative leather substitute that is environmentally friendly and breathable. Other used materials include "Ecoblue" fabrics from recycled plastic bottles, Triacetate fabric from Mitsubishi Chemical, yarn threads produced in Latvia and processed without the use of chemicals, and the highest quality organic wool and cotton from Japan. Most of the materials used in the collection are manufactured in an environment-friendly way, tested and certified. For packaging, we use Eco Garment Bags’ biodegradable clothing packaging. All labels are made from recycled paper.
Social relevance, inclusion, availability and accessibility
It is important for us that the product is manufactured in Latvia in cooperation with local and foreign manufacturers.
Link to video or other link
https://skarule.com/collections/ss23
