On 26th November the first physical embodiment of Dress For Our Time will be launched at St Pancras station for 4 days only. Doing what Helen does best this beautiful installation will use the power of fashion to communicate some of the world’s most complex issues and help change the way we think and act upon climate change.
Earlier this year Helen was interviewed by Bel Jacobs, discussing the project – where it started and how it has developed. Speaking openly about the ‘tipping point’ and why she is now devoting all her time to climate change.
Dress For Our Time is the first project to come from that devotion and will be realised in a series of Chapters - the first will focus solely on Climate Change. As the gateway to Paris - the city hosting the United Nations Climate Change conference COP 21 – the project hopes to engage as many of the delegates and dignitaries that will be passing through the station.
The dress will digitally display data which will show the impact of climate change on our physical world. It will show our planet as it will be if we DON’T DO ENOUGH. The dress has been developed in partnership with award winning interactive creative agency Holition, and the data has been taken from a study conducted by a team of global scientists and provided by the Met Office.
The Dress itself is made from a tent (which was no longer in useable condition) gifted to the project by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In giving the tent a second life it gives this public art installation an unbreakable bond to humanity and represents the importance of nurturing and protecting all people and safeguarding generations to come. It is a powerful symbol of what it means to be human and the precarious nature of our existence.
This isn’t the first time Helen has used the power of fashion to communicate and connect us to societal and environmental challenges. She’s been doing it for the last 15 years, collaborating with science for purpose. Recently Helen wrote a guest blog for WGSN “Fashion can help tackle Climate Change and these projects prove it” discussing the power the fashion industry has, not just by making the big changes it needs to in its own production but also the ability it has to spread ideas and encourage action.
Join us in encouraging action by visiting Dress For Our Time at St Pancras between 26-29 November, you can find more info about the event here.
Follow us @ProfHelenStorey and @Dress4OurTime.
Image credit: David Betteridge www.davidbetteridge.com