I’ve been obsessed with recycling, upcycling and waste pretty much my whole life. My first upcycling project was a Barbie camper I fashioned out of a discarded truck of my brother’s. I painted it pink and made a tent out of an old towel. Now, I consider myself a craftivist. I wear and sell my upcycled and mended clothes with pride and purpose.
After a long career as an art director, I started floral ave., a sustainable design business. Floral ave. is a smash up of my 3 loves: fashion, collage and zero waste. My designs are crafted from street finds, embellished with inventory from years of thrifting, scavenging and grandmother’s leftovers. I call my technique clothing collage because, rather than restructure garments, I cover flaws with a myriad of materials, visibly mend and combine damaged pieces. I love clashing fabrics and unexpected juxtapositions. What I dig about upcycling, craftism, and visible mending in particular, is the spontaneity. One never knows how a garment will evolve. Visible mending by design is imperfect. As a craftivist, I go one step further, embracing flaws with embellishments and cheeky patching, shouting “Hey, cool fix here!.” I hope you enjoy what you find here.
-Nancy
p.s. I’m always looking for damaged clothing donations and upcycling community. Please reach out if you want to connect!