LYDIA HIGGINSON

THREADWORKS

Just found myself quite overwhelmed by the story of a young woman who founded Threadworks in London. She is truly extraordinary and her story was just on Radio 4 about making ALL her own clothes. Now you may think this is about fashion and textiles and like me I don't do well with thinking about the fashion world but this is something different. And THEN SOME! 

BBC Radio 4 - Self Portraits including Lydia's piece

Ask yourself why a young woman would end up discarding ALL her previous wardrobe and start making all her own garments and finding out how to do that. She made the first few things in a month and then found herself having made about 70 garments in the first year! She talked about challenges like thinking 'how do you make your own jeans so they look like jeans'!? Swimwear? I of course wouldn't have a clue but she persevered . . . . . . but why I hear you say. This started in her early twenties and actually, it was said, she didn't know  . . . . . at first. Then she reflected about what had happened to her in life and at age 19 she had been in another country where she found herself attacked by a gang of men and sexually assaulted . . . . . .this story from Lydia struck me so hard . . . . as a mere man, I feel so ashamed sometimes by my gender . . . . . . and I knew what was coming . . . . . she had a visceral reaction to her 'self portrait' if you will . . . . what are we? the clothes we stand up in? . . define us and say such a lot about us . . . .to completely set about making your entire wardrobe frankly is ART. It is an art statement worthy of any great fine artist

Made My Wardrobe blog here . . . . .

Threadworks here . . .