Natasha just visited a small exhibit at the Met about the use of synthetic textiles in fashion:
www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2017/secret-life-of-textiles-synthetic.
Natasha is interested in the intersection of plastic and fashion. She once wondered what happens to balloons after they vanish into the blue, blue sky: it turns out that, like Icarus, they end up falling into the ocean, where they eventually are ingested by and then kill sea turtles. Pretty much everything synthetic ends up killing sea turtles. Natasha would like to be fashion-forward without killing sea turtles. She understands that using plastic as clothing isn’t going to save the planet, but at least she knows that these particular pieces of mesh and bubble wrap won’t hurt a sea turtle, at least not today. Plus she thinks plastic mesh and bubble wrap are oddly beautiful, in the way this photo is beautiful and also awful: www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/09/15/the-stunning-underwater-photo-this-nature-photographer-wishes-didnt-exist/?utm_term=.60d8a342c345.
She hoped someone would ask about her outfit, so she could start a conversation about plastic and fashion, but the thing about New York is, you can go around wearing plastic mesh and bubble wrap and nobody bats even one eye.
Natasha herself is made out of one of my husband’s suits. My husband was a little startled when he first met Natasha, but he had definitely told me that suit was worn out and it was ok for me to cut it up. I told him this fabric, unlike the fabric I used to make Elle, was a dream to work with, and he directed me to the manufacturer’s website: apparel.hollandandsherry.com/en. Adjectives found here: “natural,” “high-quality,” “noble.”
Natasha’s clothes, on the other hand, are made from a plastic bag, bubble wrap, and plastic mesh. I try to find uses for plastic mesh. I used to like to slap it onto collages. My friend Karen, who is a beekeeper and cares a lot about the environment, once said whenever she comes across red plastic mesh she thinks of me. I know she means that in a good way.
Natasha’s handbag is made from a Sabra Hummus plastic lid, a pleather notebook cover, and alphabet ribbon charms donated by my artist friend Elizabeth, who was clearing out her studio. Natasha’s translucent space boots are made of some kind of foam packaging material that came into my home wrapped around bananas, and a different kind of foam packaging for the heels: These boots are not made for walking.
a joy and highlight of my trip: to be present at Natasha’s fashion shoot at the Met. She worked it on the front steps, in the fabrics exhibit, and on the rooftop. Thanks for giving me a glimpse of your New York life.