An Indian architect and German fashion designer work as Bouley Gandhi, making recycled artworks that shine a light on throwaway fast fashion.
It was a collaboration that neither expected, but both needed. When Mumbai-based architect Kanhai Gandhi met Hedwig Bouley, the German founder of fashion brand LPJ Studios in 2018, the duo could have hardly known their sustainable artistic project would last years.
Working from their respective studios in Bavaria and Mumbai under the name Bouley Gandhi, the duo create large-scale artworks out ofupcycled fabrics, bringing awareness to the need for more sustainability in thefashionindustry — one of thebiggest polluterson the planet.
"I've been a fashion designer for 40 years," Bouley told DW. "About eight years ago, I decided I wanted to do something with all of the leftovers and waste from the fashion industry."
Some 92 million tons of annual textile waste is produced globally, according to the Global Fashion Agenda, a Copenhagen-based nonprofit organization that supports the transition to a more sustainable future. That's the equivalent of a garbage truck full of clothing being disposed of each second.
"We know thefashion industryis one of the biggest polluters on the planet, so we thought, let's get out of that. Art is a good way to create awareness. We don't use any new materials in our works," said Gandhi.Their large-scale wall hangings use a unique needle punch technique to sew used scraps of wool and cashmere. Gandhi uses his architectural background to create a design, while Bouley sews a small mock-up by hand.
Finally, they make the large-scale pieces using a rare technique where materials are worked into each other with the help of small needles.
Upcycling, the process of transforming waste materials into new products of higher value, is becoming more commonplace in the fashion industry asconcern for the environmentgrows.
In Europe,fashion designerMarine Serre, for example, has gained traction for her use of waste fabrics. InIndia, too, upcycling is being embraced by both established and upcoming designers and artisans in recent years. Doodlage, a studio in New Delhi, makes clothes out of scraps of fabric and secondhand garments, for example.
In April, Bouley Gandhi showed their latest collection atMilan Design Weekat the Rossana Orlandi art space. Speaking with DW DW, they explained how they met back in 2018 at design trade show Maison & Objet in Paris.
Gandhi was struck by the pieces displayed at Bouley booth and asked if he could visit her studio in the small town of Aschau im Chiemgau, in Bavaria.
"I thought he was making a joke and then a month later he really came!" Bouley recalled, smiling.
"I said 'I'm coming from India, are you OK to meet me on a Sunday?'" added Gandhi. He was eager to respect German customs — including observingSunday as a day of rest— despite coming halfway across the globe.
Their collaboration has been a successful experiment in bridging often wide cultural differences between Germany and India, leading to new, positive experiences for both of them — including a style revamp.
"Now you see more color on her and I wear more black now!" points out Ghandi, who himself has become a huge fan ofBavarian foodduring his regular visits to Aschau.
The duo is busy working on new projects that also utilize recycled materials and look to the future. As Bouley said: "Our partnership is very nice and we think about what we can do in some years, for example. We always think about 'us' not only him or only me. It's really a good collaboration."
Aside from the environmental aspect, Bouley Gandhi wants their work to spread a message of shared human experiences. In a time of division asconflicts rageandright-wing extremismis on the rise, the duo believe art can help unite humanity by reminding us of our similarities.
One Bouley Gandhi piece depicts a face with lips and mouth rising from the surface of a body of water, and was conceived of during the pandemic. Gandhi wanted the work to represent the human element of resilience and titled it "Hope in Depth."
"A good part of the human mind is that if there is a strong will, you tend to survive," said Gandhi. "This characteristic of the human psyche is universal. It's not limited to a German or Indian or an American — it's about everyone."
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