Written by Mariangel Talamas
Photographed by Abbe Hernandez
Savannah Art Rise, a nonprofit organization, hosted their monthly First Friday Art March on Oct. 2. This month’s march featured what they called “A Fast Guide to Slow Fashion.”
As an alternative to the current fast-paced fashion industry,
slow fashion does not promote society’s mass market production at such a high expense. Friday night’s event sought to raise awareness of the environmental impacts of the fashion industry while supporting the creativity of local designers and promoting sustainable fashion. It served as a platform to display works and as a way for some of Savannah’s artists to sell their pieces.
De Soto Ave. and 41st Street were closed to vehicles but local stores, cafes, and galleries welcomed marchers in throughout the evening with live music and the ongoing theme of sustainable, eco-friendly garments and artwork. Savannah Trolley Tours provided transportation through the different galleries free of charge and circled around every 30 minutes.
A featured display of the night was the exhibition “DISPOSABLE,” a collection of wearable paper dresses created by the fashion director for Art Rise, Nathan Saludez.
Saludez took his experience in the garment production industry in New York to show his awareness of the catastrophic environmental impact of the fashion industry through the dresses.
“DISPOSABLE,” on display at the Starlandia Creative Supply, used reclaimed Connect Savannah Newspapers for fabric. According to Saludez, the inspiration behind the collection came from Andy Warhol’s paper dresses that he designed to be worn once and then thrown away.
Like most fast fashion today, from stores such as H&M and Forever 21, garments purchased at a cheap price are worn for one season and then thrown out. “The exploitation of both mother earth and of human labor” is part of the message behind the disposable dresses, said Saludez.
Saludez believes that “the gap between the designer and the consumer needs to be diminished.” He said that it seems as though no matter how people decide to dress, it is not typical for the consumer to know what went into producing what they’re wearing.
Another feature event of the evening was the “STAINability” dye demo by SCAD fibers alumn, Courtney Cruz. This demo took participants through the steps of dying fabric with natural materials such as avocado skin and onion peels.
Overall, the public connected with the event’s message while enjoying a night of culture and talent.
“It’s hands down an event to come to again,” said Evet Sotto, a second-year architecture major from Mexico.
The First Friday Art March occurs every month, rain or shine, and the November Art March is set for Nov. 6. Art Rise plans to host Savannah’s Warhol Factory Party on Oct. 16 from 7-11 p.m. as a continuation of Friday night’s theme.
Tickets for the event are available at the Art Rise Savannah website.
