How one hand-knitted hoodie taught me about humanity
In the three months since I added my name to the Anthropologie mailing list, I’ve received four catalogs (Stitch Book, November 2007, Giving Book, and December 2007) in my mailbox. From a sustainable standpoint, one could see these happenings as an eco-nightmare, but I think of it more like visual heaven.
Though the latter three catalogs left me drooling and dizzy with ideas, the Stitch Book caught the bulk of my attention due to it being filled with ... stitched stuff! OK, let me be a bit more specific - the Stitch Book is full of sweaters of all shapes and sizes, all featuring impeccable knitted and crocheted designs.
Out of all the available goods in the Stitch Book, the Joona Handknit Hoodie (on the cover and in the image to the left) had me the most entranced: a Little Prince & Piggy original, handmade over the course of 100 hours using several skeins of lush mushroom yarn. Designed with irreverently gathered sleeves and an oversized hood.
Can Anthropologie’s goods really be considered sustainable? That's a good question and it’s one that I don’t have the answer to. I recently found out that they previously carried a few goods by one of my all-time favorite eco-brands Stewart+Brown (four of which are on-sale on the website). But carrying four tops made of organic cotton doesn’t change the lack of sustainability of the rest of the goods. Seeing how much wool and leather is featured in the catalogs makes me squirm (including the aforementioned hoodie).
On a different token, many of the brands that are featured in Anthropologie have sustainable and fair trade programs. Also, nearly all of the items in their catalogs can be considered “luxury goods”, meaning items that should be invested in and worn/used for many years to come.
Eco-issues aside, I learned a little bit more about who I really am, simply from these catalogs. By looking at the Joona hoodie, you can see that it is meant to be layered with at least a t-shirt. Though this is true, it also intentionally features an open stitch pattern, which is meant to show off the beauty of the yarn being used and the item(s) worn underneath the sweater.
What does all this have to do with a person? For those who are into psychology, you have probably started to catch the drift, but I take pleasure in explaining these kinds of “intelligent” things as well. As simple as I try to make my life, I am still full of layers - we all are. No one can be truly two-dimensional as this is not the kind of life humans are meant to live. While we all need a place to sleep, food to eat, water to drink ...etc., there are still many uniquely detailed, yet open, parts about ourselves that shape our situations and experiences.
By being drawn to this particular item of clothing, I have gained new insight into my own issues of social anxiety as well, knowing that laying high-quality clothing that is simple yet striking in its details make me feel as comfortable and confident as I possibly could be. On another note, I happen to be very comfortable being completely naked, but somewhere between nudity and wearing a potato sack, I am wracked with self-consciousness. That’s not to say that my anxiety stems from only my looks - there are a number of psychological factors at work as well; this is just one element worth exploring.
The foods, friends, hobbies, colors, clothing, cars and all other elements of our lives are chosen based on previous experiences, which have established our own “personal tastes.” My lonely childhood, social issues, history of depression, career as a model, and compassion for planet Earth all give me my own desires and passions.
What is this all leading to? Nothing. I am no guru, no magician, no certified professional that can help you solve all your problems, but I can offer you this “word to the wise”: explore yourself. Explore all of the decisions and dislikes you collect in the course of your day, including the impacts they have on those around you. Only by being conscious and in-the-moment can we ever expect to understand the many qualities that make up our true selves.
From victoria-e.com
http://www.anthropologie.com/
Victoria-E hits the nail on the head when she advises: "explore all of the decisions...you collect in the course of a day". And one of the those decisions that I urge her and her readers to consider, is the decision on where to shop and who to invest in.
These days, we are surrounded by companies and brands that are quick to respond to the "trend" of being socially and environmentally conscious, all in the effort to make us feel better about purchasing their products.
But these small smoke screens can't hide the truth. For example, under the layers of beautiful material and design Victoria enjoyed in the Anthropologie catalogue, lay the foundations of the Urban Outfitters corporation. Under that layer we find the president and co-founder, Richard Hayne, who's contributions to Congressman Rick Santorum and various other Republican political machine pieces reveal his true feelings about the enviroment. (see opensecrets.org). For a refresher, here was Senator Santorum's environmental policy: * Voted NO on including oil & gas smokestacks in mercury regulations. (Sep 2005) * Voted YES on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001) * Voted YES on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat. (Sep 1999) * Voted NO on transportation demo projects. (Mar 1998) * Voted NO on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests. (Sep 1997) * Rated 0% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes. (Dec 2003) (see issues2000.org).
So yes, by all means, peel back the layers. Know what is enticing you, what it's real background and purpose is, and who may be trying to fool you.
posted by mikeydbrain on 12/25/2007 10:57 am