Space Between Aims to Fill a Fashion Gap

Press Release: Monday, April 13, 2015

Space Between Aims to Fill a Fashion Gap

It’s called Space Between and fashion design lecturers Jennifer Whitty and Holly McQuillan believe their new social enterprise could enhance the way university staff, students and the fashion industry work together. Space Between has been working collaboratively with corporate uniform supplier Booker Spalding, New Zealand Post and Earthlink Incorporated to make upcycled ready-to-wear women's garments from obsolete corporate uniforms.

The two designers, based at the College of Creative Arts on Massey University’s Wellington campus, are planning to launch the enterprise and herald ‘Fashion Revolution Day’ with a flash mob in Midland Park to make a provocative surprise statement about the high disposability and loss of value of clothing in contemporary society.

The event is being held on April 16th, just a week before the second anniversary of the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, which killed more than 1100 workers on April 24th 2013. Known as the Fashion Revolution Day, the event joins a global coalition across 60 countries of designers, academics, writers, business leaders and politicians calling for a systemic revolution of the fashion supply chain.

Ms Whitty says supporters of the fashion revolution want to inspire a permanent change in the fashion industry by making people aware of the processes and effects of creating a garment, raising issues from cheap labour exploitation to excess clothing consumption. It’s something Space Between advocates too.

“The launch will offer practical commentary on the disposable use of fashion, the current focus on consumption and the issue of waste in the industry,” she says.

The first collection, ‘The Fundamental Range’ will be released to purchase online at www.spacebetween.ac.nz on the 24th April 2015. The garments are made from the discarded corporate uniforms of NZ Post and the manufacturing is done in Wellington by the not for profit organisation Earthlink Incorporated, who are a manufacturing company that provides jobs for those with barriers to employment.

The other side of the Space Between graduates to work under the label exploring and developing a variety of ways to eliminate waste in the fashion industry and also sell their own upcycled designs. This provides an opportunity for students to integrate real world experiences into their learning with an agenda to bring about 'positive change' in the fashion industry.

Along with the flash mob launch there will also be a free film screening 7pm, Friday April 24th at Massey Wellington. The documentary ‘Traceable’ will be shown followed by a panel discussion.

For more information or to get involved see the links below or email

team@spacebetween.ac.nz

www.spacebetween.ac.nz
www.fashionrevolution.org/country/newzealand

Flash Mob Event:
www.facebook.com/events/405841809540896/

Film Event:
www.facebook.com/events/360876384113896/

Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Space-Between

Twitter: @TeamBetween

Instagram: @space__between

Tumbler: spacebetweenposts.tumblr.com

ENDS

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