A simple message from one of our icons, Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin.
Written by inspirational colleague, Dr Kate Fletcher in 2008, these words represent the Slow Textiles Group's sustainable design and co-design springboards from which flourish all kinds of positive working relationships, (with artists, designers, private companies and public institutions), that aim to foster empowerment, action, identity and voice in and through textiles activity.
This activity ranges from lace making to digital animation, pattern cutting to lazer printing; it encourages action, reflection, sharing, learning, social capital, mental capital, cultural capital, resourcefulness and entrepreneurship, among many other things.
Dr Emma Neuberg set up the Slow Textiles Group platform in 2009 in response to her longterm working relationships within the British design system and design education. Trained in Printed Textiles and Group Psychology, she could see that there was positive change to be had that would offer people a greater sense of skill, vision, identity, expression, community and revenue through textiles.
Spurred by the realisation that the mainstream fashion system paradigms were survivalist and unsustainable as overbearing global 'monocultures' (Fletcher, 2008), she set up the platform in order to stimulate, support and promote diverse textiles activity, grassroots up, in the UK and internationally.
The Slow Textiles Group is an organic entity that involves over 150 people from all over the world. Most, however, are in the UK and include the most talented textile designers and artists working in the UK today.
The tragedy about talent is that it cannot see itself. It takes other people to see it, hold it and say, "there it is."
This is what Emma specialises in. People start to feel a greater sense of voice, self and sustainable rationales within the Slow Textiles Group. These rationales aren't about developing derivative collections for John Lewis stores or Amtico's SS2015 interiors' colourways (such as most art schools focus on and promote), they are about developing a strong cultural identity that celebrates personal vision within a collective and cultural setting.
Through the Slow Textiles Group, sharing and collaborations begin and new journeys weave their autonomous paths, through, with and beyond the group. As Kate Fletcher writes, this is complex ground.
It is ground, however, that Emma firmly believes in, sees working everyday and enjoys witnessing the tides of positive change - to people's lives and practices, communities and thinking, expression and culture, not to mention the exchange value of work produced and the innovative research projects that ensue.
Where else are dynamic, complex and breathtaking textiles being created in a social enterprise such as in the Slow Textiles Group?
Emma is a great believer in conversation and relationships and sees design, creativity and all its activities as being dependent on creative dialogue and group support. Even the very best British art schools do not offer a bespoke, pro-active professional network with tutors and or alumni such as you'll find in the Slow Textiles Group. Talented graduates wait for their Isabella Blow yet a fairy godmother complex is unrealistic and based on the unsustainability principle. After all, less than 1% of design graduates end up Creative Directors for large companies. Most end up in education - education where staff are frequently exploited, not to mention students.
Without a healthy textiles industry operating on many different levels, scales and speeds, as Dr Kate Fletcher describes, then what do educators teach for? Textile tutors training future textile tutors training future textile tutors become a self-reflecting parody and offer a clear example of unsustainable development, not to mention, the gaping skills hole at the heart of industry.
A symbolic yet practical, fluid yet rooted, textiles action platform for real people in real life is required. One that promotes long-life activity and skill, focussed purpose, positive working relationships, collaboration, uncompromised research, personal insight, depth thinking, voice, vision, quality and industry. A sewing machine and a business course is not enough!
Why not come to our next Slow Textiles Group event to see how we work?
"The goal is to show that there is a wealth of different ways in which we can go about building long-lasting environmental and social quality through the design, production and use of fashion and textiles that go beyond traditional ideas or expectations" (Fletcher, 2008).
