Sustainable East End Fashion show at Poplar Union
Lyn Gerald partners with Justice In Fashion to showcase sustainable fashion by East London designers at Poplar Union.
Teacher and musician Lyn Gerald’s mother taught her how to sew when she was a child, but her sewing machine was gathering dust until lockdown started.
“Sewing kept me sane during lockdown. I started upcycling some of my mother’s clothes to create other designs. She has dementia and I really wanted to feel close to her,” Gerald says.
Gerald adds signature sleeves made out of African prints or other vintage fabrics to old jackets and dresses to give them a new lease of life.
Using upcycled fabrics gives her a more personal connection to the clothes she makes, which are repurposed from old family clothes or items sourced from second hand shops.
“I even made a bustier out of the curtains that I had in my bedroom when I was 17 years old,” she says, adding that she’ll be wearing it to the fashion show.
She will be joined on the runway by eleven East London designers who also upcycle or use sustainable fabrics. The show will raise money for Justice in Fashion, an organisation working to promote sustainable fashion and end modern slavery in the fashion industry.
If you enjoyed this piece on street art you may like our feature on Aberfeldy Street’s art installation