The purpose of this capstone was to translate my skills as a fashion and textile designer into a line of thoughtful homeware goods that reflect the immensely emotional year that people have experienced since the onset of the pandemic. My capstone seeks to comment on sustainability, with the large majority of materials I experimented with in producing the works being consciously acquired second hand or upcycled. Secondly, I wish to evoke emotional durability, which is the process of developing emotional relationships to items, encouraging the user to keep them in use longer and cherish them over time. In today’s fast paced disposable culture of cycling quickly through consumer goods, one way to challenge this behaviour is by building greater meaning into the personal belongings we choose to acquire. My process of making was informed by my own emotions, reflected in the abstract nature of the art. My hope is to communicate my emotion to the viewer by inspiring their own emotional engagement with the piece, allowing it to be celebrated and retaining value to the owner.

Lasting Emotions, 2021. Video. All images and music by Lauren Street.

I look forward to pursuing my masters in sustainability in fashion and creative industries and continue pursuing textile and fiber art as an ongoing practice. Thank you to all the instructors who fostered creativity and challenged me to produce my best work, the years we have had together have informed me as an artist and allowed me to define the intersection between art and sustainability. There’s still much more I would like to address in the sustainability space but I see this as a first step of my small contribution to affecting positive change within the industry over my career. Thank you.