SUSTAIN THE MAG

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WORN

Reza Cristian

A Project on Excess Consumerism in Fast Fashion

by SUSTAIN the Mag

This project is motivated by the result of excess consumerism in fast fashion. SUSTAIN the Mag recently had the pleasure to interview Christy Soeder, a LA-based model, creative director and environmental activist and Anisha Sisodia, photographer & director. As we live in a world of fashion consumption and overproduction, this project is a good reminder that we should understand that having less is better and so is slow intention living.

Where did you gain inspiration? 

  • Anisha: I gain inspiration from our lived experiences and our senses, and how these connect us to people, places and things. In other words, how we mindfully and consciously connect with the world around us. We feel an infinite amount of emotions and we are all so unique with wildly different experiences. I love to be able to not only express the way I see the world and my own stories, but support others in telling theirs in a visual way. I grew up with a lot of difficulty in explaining myself in words, so photography helped me communicate with others in a visual way. I’m currently diving deeper into storytelling, finding ways through photo and video to encapsulate a concept, a feeling, or an event. I’m quite sensitive and emotional, and I find that adding spices of color, vibrancy and movement into my work helps me fulfill my expression visually.

  • Christy: As a creative, I’m super inspired by nature - the light in an image based on the position of the sun, the different colors that can be found wherever you look, and the elements (air, water, fire, earth) that bring both motion and emotion to a moment in time. I love seeing all of these natural elements within us as humans, as well. I love finding concepts and stories that visually depict the balance of both the complex fragility and the impeccable strength of existence. I think our generation of artists is going to have a certain responsibility to tell stories that are not only beautifully intriguing, but also that strive to make a difference - bringing a sense of artistic integrity and alignment back into the forefront of people’s minds.

Has your content creation changed during the pandemic? If so, what has or what do you do differently?

  • Anisha: My content creation changed dramatically during the pandemic. I felt that I was finally able to spend time investigating my personal vision vs. solely the work I do for clients. I feel I change quite quickly and I can really see that in my work by the year (or month!). 2020 allowed me to truly pause and check back in with how I choose to express myself rather than holding onto a past style of mine or the expectation of a client. I’m a huge day dreamer, so the extra space has allowed for my ideas to flow without limitations. Since photographing people was not as easily accessible, I have been able to dive deeper into still life photography, work with a variety of lighting, and experiment with my color palettes.

  • Christy: I have grown immensely during the pandemic; it has been so interesting to watch my work specify and grow as a product of that. If anything, I have really found the need and the benefits of space and balance in my life and in my work. I’ve found myself being less result oriented, and more interested and inspired by the process of making things. Enjoying the journey has brought more intention, joy, and significance into all of my actions, and also into “why” I’m a storyteller. It has become increasingly important for me to create with the utmost quality, as opposed to creating at a high volume consistently. I have loved spending more time on projects and ideas to really see how they grow, and morph, and form into even greater ideas. Creating from a stronger foundation has also allowed me to focus on how I can bring more sustainable practices into my work by doing more research, reusing materials, and constantly recycling and repurposing resources from different projects.

What was your favorite part of creating these photos?

  • Anisha: I’ve been creating with Christy for some time now, and what I always love is the process of us conceptualizing. There were so many conversations around why we felt we needed to create this project, and everyone’s ability on set to come together, offer insight, and ultimately just play (if only you could see the BTS!). We wanted the piece to stand out, to make a statement, to make someone clicking or turning a page pause and ask themselves about their own contribution to consumerism. It was unique while we were shooting that in real time we were taking up space, making a scene in public, and ultimately showing the exaggeration of what most of us are carrying on the daily, whether currently what you’re wearing, what have at home at home, or what you’re perhaps throwing away that ends up in landfills. 

  • Christy: I’d say my favorite part of creating this set of photos was getting to work with an incredible team full of like-minded artists. Anisha led a beautiful meditation at the beginning of our day before we got to work to center everyone and remind us how beautiful it was that we got to come together to make art that says something. Anisha and I did a lot of brainstorming and pre-production work to ensure we truly led and produced a sustainable set, but one of the most beautiful moments was putting all of the prep work aside to collaborate and see how it all came together in the moment. To ensure we were truly styling with all repurposed or reused pieces, we had each model bring a collection of their favorite clothing pieces to mix and match. Our stylist made magic in the moment with all of the clothes that our models brought, and it was incredible to see it come together - something we could’ve never envisioned prior because it was so unique and authentic to our specific team.

What are your own personal opinions on consumerism in the fashion industry? 

  • Anisha: I think we have to start by just acknowledging the time we live in. We don’t have to shame anyone to be partaking in consumerism – we’ve been born into a world where we are constantly influenced and pressured to keep “up to date.” Whether that’s through posting on social media, knowing every bit of news in pop culture, or in what we are wearing and presenting out to the world, it’s easy to come to a fault. It’s incredible that so many brands are now taking a stance in the sustainability space and working to produce products in a more ethical way or leaving less of a footprint behind, but there is also a financial inaccessibility to consume from these brands as well. That’s where I think it gets tough. I know for myself, I consciously try to buy from groups that are mindful of their impact, but I understand wanting to pay $5 for a shirt that looks the exact same as a shirt for $55. I haven’t landed on the best answer, but for myself, I have to ask if purchasing certain items are needed. I think about buying out of need vs. buying because you want to keep up with a trend or noticing which brands are trying vs. which ones are just out to make a dollar. 

  • Christy: Where do I even begin on this one. Consumerism is complex. It’s a system in which we all live that is supposed to balance and serve our economy, but actually does a disservice to both the consumer and the planet in mass amounts. Anisha and I set out to create WORN because we were tired of the vicious cycle of the fashion industry consistently telling people that they need more and more and more to be an accepted, successful person in society. Mass consumerism has become intertwined with our lifestyles. We buy things all too frequently - most of the time, not out of necessity or conscious intention. I could go on and on about how I believe mass consumerism to be one of the strongest foundations from which climate change has increased and biodiversity has decreased. However, I think what we all must remember is that being a conscious consumer stems from being an aware human. The more we can learn about ourselves, each other, and life as a fragile, and balanced ecosystem, the more we can share and inspire others to ask for change and start to make a difference for humanity.

Photography: Anisha Sisodia (@anishaspice)

Models: Christy Soeder (@csoeder), Matthew K. Addison (@kingslions), Stephen Reyes, Kiki Harada (@kikeyo_), Kessanet Negash (@_kisisu)