Handmade suede square-toe mules from Collection 374, a design project linking leather and local agriculture, 2019.

โ€˜Collection 374โ€™ is a collection of accessories and outerwear that includes: suede mules, sleek tan knee-high boots with a mid-heel; a belted suede mac with silver fastenings (and a second, interchangeable belt featuring cowhide pouches); a tan leather bucket bag with a silver claspand and a cowhide jacket.

Robinsonโ€™s approach to the ethical and environmental concerns of the fashion industry was based on the attempts of the food industry to tackle their own similar production problems. Using a by-product of meat, Robinson was able to address the issues around sourcing fashionโ€™s materials: the hide of โ€˜374โ€™ would have otherwise been incinerated, at cost to the farmer who raised him. Her resource-led process and a zero-waste objective enabled her to work creatively and respectfully within the limits posed by what was available: โ€˜it is all defined by the animal usedโ€™. While supply chains can be murky in both industries, Robinsonโ€™s small-scale, entirely localised production allowed for complete traceability and transparency. Her process also demanded slowness, that desirable but elusive antidote to rampant consumerism, leaving her โ€˜unable to stick to the same deadlines as others in my classโ€™ as she awaited the completion of each step. Style, too, is one of the most significant aspects of the collectionsโ€™ sustainability. Classic pieces designed and made thoughtfully from durable materials, they are built to last without needing replacement, thereby negating the need for future production.

ยฉ Alice V Robinson.


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