Wearable art beautifully merges fashion with creativity, often using unconventional materials to craft one-of-a-kind costumes that make a statement or tell a story. This art form embraces sustainability by incorporating eco-friendly practices like upcycling and repurposing materials. It’s about reducing waste while designing wearable works of art that are thoughtful and responsible, guided by efforts like those outlined in the Greenbook—a guide to sustainable and ethical practices.

For this creation, I began by cutting feathers with a scalpel, adding a wire down the center to make them twistable and bendable into the desired shape, reinforced with sellotape for durability. Repurposed foam became the base for hip pads, covered with sewn paper feathers, and attached to a leather body harness using hook-and-eye fastenings. Bamboo formed the initial wing structure, but since it wasn’t strong enough for a dance routine, I reinforced it with scrap piping. I drilled the wings onto a plywood base, covered it with foam for comfort, and added wiring at the bottom for flapping motion during performances.

The headdress involved crafting two roses from rolled petal shapes cut out of paper, incorporating cellophane feathers for a shimmering effect under stage lights. Finally, I repurposed scrap tulle to create a skirt tied to elastic, along with a matching hairband to complement the wings.