COLORS “COLORS� is a lookbook exploring the beauty in recycled material. All material featured has been reused from unwanted materials and repurposed into fashionable clothing. My mission is to encourage others to repurpose the clothing and find beauty in the ordinary. The fashion industry is the second largest pollutant next to oil. This is a statistic not many consider when observing all of the other pollutants in the world. This lookbook was designed by Henry Kerns at the Hite Art Institute in Louisville, Kentucky.
Foiled Acrylic Oil stick 48x54 inches
The work featured in this lookbook consists of repurposed materials ranging from socks, shirts, hoodies, hats, and everything in between. The goal of this project is to give ordinary objects a new sense of life and purpose. Beauty can always be found in the unexpected. The juxtaposition of materials provides a fresh perspective for the viewers. A main source of inspiration for the pieces are the Josef Albers color theory studies from the 1950’s. The deceptive logic seen when colors interact is the most interesting aspect of color theory. The simple, yet abstract layout of colors and patterns should encourage others to construct new and interesting pieces of art, no matter what the medium. Each piece of clothing is an original work, never similar to any other article in the collection. The unfinished quality to the works presented in this catalog provide a more human touch: a much needed commodity in a world filled with so much mechanical reproduction.
The “faces� hoodie is based on the famous femme fatale character played by Lauren Bacall in the movie The Big Sleep. The femme fatale is a character who is cunning and shatters the stereotypic female role in most Hollywood films. The faces series features numerous famous femme fatale characters to highlight their contribution to the film industry and present characters that some people may have not heard of.
photos by: Meena Khalili
Soft Sand Composition recycled tapestry & pillowcase Size L
Model: Braxton Foote
“The aim of our studies is to prove that color is the most relative means of artistic expression.� -Josef Albers
Pink Composition One Assorted recycled socks & tees Size L
This is What Love Feels Like Acrylic on canvas with oil stick 20x24in
Paint Bird Split Hoodie Light Blue & Sand 100% Cotton
photo by: Todd Sheets
Eye Test Number II Paint Marker 36x48in
All clothing featured in the “colors� project was stictched with a brother sewing machine. The process begins with the hoodies being cut in half, then mismatched to achieve the split look. Once the hoodie is cut, it is sewn back together with another hoodie the same size. The material that will be sewn on the hoodie is then placed in various ways until the best composition is achieved. This phase is the most fun because the different arrangements of the material feels like an abstract painting. Instead of wiping away or painting over unwanted color, all that has to be done is moving a patch of material. Once the material is placed in a desired composition, seam tape goes along every edge and then the patches are ready to be sewn.
As a designer, I find myself constantly obsessed with geometry more than anything else. I look for ways to arrange squares and other angular shapes in a way that is pleasing to the eye. At times, designing can feel like playing Tetris. This obsession of mine finds its way into any medium of art I choose to do. When taking this photograph, I was immediately drawn to the corner of this gravestone because the composition reminded me of a Mondrian piece. Part of this constant use of geometry is due to the grid structure that comprises most of Swiss Design, which is then taught to graphic design students like me in college level design courses.
Bauhaus Arrangement Acrylic on Canvas 24x36in
Designer: Henry Kerns Art Director: Meena Khalili Fonts Used: Helvetica, MS Gothic Photo Credit: Brianna Jacobi Grid Structure: 4x6