Follow her quilting journey @ mrsporfiria
(the interview)
“The category of urban street fashion is very broad, so I became interested. The strength of street fashion is that you can express your own concept and style even if you mix and match with clothes of any category, so I think it's a really interesting part.”
Boyoun Lee is a fashion designer based in Los Angeles, California. Boyoun was originally born in South Korea. Her art was influenced by her mother and grandfather as they were both artistic beings, specializing in calligraphy. With that being said, Boyoun was introduced to art at an early age and her passion has only grown since. After graduating from an art university located in South Korea, she continued her love for fashion by studying merchandise and product development in San Francisco. After graduating with her second degree, Boyoun’s interest in traditional patterns leads her to work in a Korean threading company as a designer to further her curiosity in fashion design. Eventually, Boyoun produced an impressive portfolio in design which includes having worked for a variety of designers in footwear and women’s clothing. After researching and developing a niche for urban streetwear, she began her journey creating stunning designs as a fashion designer at a denim company.
For someone like Boyoun, denim is the basis and completion of urban street fashion. Denim comes in different washes and fabrics yet is extremely durable to create expressive fashion pieces. When she thinks of the versatility of denim, she believes that denim has changed and blended fashion styles together to create new, trendy styles. Especially urban street fashion, allowed her to express complex concepts and styles while being able to mix different categories.
Boyoun’s Kancan x Artist piece is titled “The Rhythm of the Rainy Night”. The piece portrays the harmony between humans and denim. Made with acrylic paint, recycled cardboard, and crushed glass for resin art, the different elements showcase the unity and versatility of the denim. She mentions the infinite charm that denim holds. By creating the characteristics, it is expressed through her art piece. To create her piece, Boyoun recycled our denim to create strips, rolls, and tattered pieces to create different characteristics of how denim can be seen. Vibrant solid metallic hues painted over textured cardboard display the rain washing over the city in an interminable flux of perception. And the rolled-up denim can be seen as “bokeh”, a flash of light that is spread on the rainy streets to express the night scenery. She combined these art pieces with two women wearing heels to represent women integrated with denim.
“What I wanted to express in this artwork focused on the beauty of women and the combination of denim and landscape.”
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“Someone’s labor is creating these objects that we wear. I hope by dissecting these pieces and having them on display in this arrangement will be able to pique your curiosity in the process of how these things were made and created.”
Catherine Reinhart is an interdisciplinary artist who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fiber and printmaking from Iowa State University and a Master of Fine Arts in textiles from University of Kansas. Her main focus has been using unwanted textiles for fiber art that is socially engaging through the act of sewing it together. Her work is largely centered on themes of motherhood, community, and care. As a mother, her art is inspired by her consistent and persistent care towards her family and community. As a child, Catherine was always around textiles because her mother was a quilt maker who came from a lineage of German tailors. Growing up in the rural Midwest of the US, she is surrounded by second-hand garments that she breathes new life into by mending them into visual art that can be seen in galleries and museums today. Through her creative process, she relies on her intuition when choosing her materials and often times she will revisit an old project and expand them with newfound techniques. Not only is she recycling materials by nurturing it into a new piece, but she is often revisiting ideas and redeveloping them.
As a theoretically trained artist, Catherine finds the unseen processes of making denim and its history as the most fascinating. When she thinks of denim she recalls a documentary where the first pieces of denim were unearthed from “the ground that were worn by cowboys or workmen” like an archeological artifact. She describes denim as an ambiguous and versatile material that can be easily overlooked. To her, it “connects with invisible things in our lives” because of the labor and history that goes unnoticed when you glance at a pair of jeans.
Catherine describes her Kancan x Artist collaboration piece somewhere in-between fiber art and a floor installation. The inspiration behind "Leavings" is derived from her inquisitive nature and domestic landscape as a stay-at-home mother. Surrounded by pieces of her children’s laundry and blankets strewn across her domestic space, the shapes and folds that the fabrics created served as a blueprint for her installation. Using a thrifted wool blanket, she personally used to keep warm, it served as an archeological landscape for her arrangement of denim. When she started working on the pieces of denim she became curious in dissecting a pair of jeans and learning how it’s made. Catherine’s past works are largely centered on the theme of invisible labor that comes from caretaking. So through her research, she translates the industrial processes of how denim is made by showcasing each piece and thread like it is part of a historical archive in a museum.
“When I disassembled the jeans and cut them into different pieces, I also kept the thread that came undone from the seams and so, it’s the collection and arrangement of all the materials that would go into making the jeans separated out into these categories, like an archive of denim.”
I am Carla, your next-door friendly neighbor who loves to party, socialize and meet new people. To put it in the right way, I am that friend that can make people forget about their heartbreaks because I will take them to the most fun parties in the town.
And yes, that's why everyone loves me, or at least I would like to believe that :)
Since I am a curvy girl and I love to look hot with my beautiful curves, I am always looking for some amazing clothing options that can make me look amazing.
Long gone are the days when finding the right fit for curvy girls was a hassle. I won't hesitate to say that our fashion industry was not inclusive of bigger bodies and for years young beautiful women were conditioned to dislike their bodies.
As a curvy woman, I have had my fair share of struggles while growing up, because every time I was looking to buy something cute for myself, I couldn’t find it in my size. I thought perhaps I am the problem but now when I see things in retrospect, it was not me but these brands who were expecting everybody to look the same. They were not inclusive and had absurd beauty standards that were not for everyone.
However, thanks to the continuous efforts of all the amazing people, now the world is becoming more inclusive, curvy, friendly, and accepting of all bodies. I can't put into words how delighted I am to share my journey with you all today, as I speak from the platform of Kancan, which is the leading platform for amazing clothes that are fun to wear, inclusive of sizes, and has the most flattering fits for curvy girls like me.
Since I am more of an outgoing person, my go-to outfit ideas usually revolve around flare jeans and some cute crop tops. It won't be wrong to say that a curvy girl in a well-fitted crop top looks nothing less than a divine goddess.
Kancan's jeans are probably the most booty-friendly jeans (Yes! There I said it!) one can have in their wardrobe.
It fits the waist so perfectly that every time I go out wearing it, people can't help but compliment my hourglass figure.
I am so happy to be able to wear Kancan’s curvy fashion line since as a young girl full of fashion enthusiasm, looking good was always my dream.
Now that I have Kancan’s with me, I am way more confident in my skin because after all thick thighs, save life!
Xoxo,
Carla
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Lisa Walton, a textile artist from Australia has been creating textile art for over 30 years. With her familiarity with textile art, she is a member of the international textile group called “Cloth in Common” which submits creative projects bi-monthly. Lisa is primarily a quilter that enjoys creating her own dyed fabrics. She loves that she is able to branch out her creativity within her art of textile. Her deep passion to share her knowledge of textile art has expanded to online workshops and virtual artist stories for those interested in textiles.
To Lisa, denim is an essential piece of clothing that everyone has. “Denim to me means it’s an every man fabric. Everybody has a pair of jeans. When I first met my husband 100 years ago his uniform was a denim jacket and denim jeans and I don’t think I saw him in anything else for many years. He just loved it. I think everybody has a pair of jeans. We have our favorite jeans. It’s like putting on a pair of warm slippers.“
When creating art, Lisa enjoys having creative freedom in building her art pieces. Having a theme in a project guides her with structure, although one of the joys of working with textile art is that she doesn’t have to play by the rules. In her project working with Kancan denim, her inspiration was to showcase her methods reusing and recycling. Her piece, "Mottainai" is incorporated with kimono fabrics she buys second-handed from her trips from Japan. Likewise, the meaning behind Mottainai in her words is "Japanese for waste not want not." She wanted to highlight the shapes, elements, and textures while still complimenting the denim with the kimono fabric. She creates weaving patterns and unique stitching to bring out simple details within the art piece. By using recycled fabrics, Lisa displays the necessity of giving reused fabric a second life.
I was overjoyed when Kancan reached out to me for their business promotion. Before I begin to give a little introduction about myself, I must assure you that my collaboration with Kancan was based on mutual trust, honest feedback and genuine reviews. I am a firm believer of suggesting only those products that I have used for myself to ensure the quality.
By the way, I am Katiee, a full time traveler and a passionate fashion stylist. I am from Europe and all my life I have grown up seeing some of the world’s most amazing sights.
While traveling, I always noticed that finding the right fit and good quality denim was a hassle. Most brands are not inclusive of sizes, offer low quality fabric and sell a pair of denim at an extreme price. Ironically, the leading names were expecting people to pay a huge amount for a pair of jeans which is something not everyone can afford in this global recession.
Luckily, when Kancan reached out to me, I jumped on this opportunity of being the virtual influencer for the brand. The denim sent to me were of amazing quality, inclusive of sizes and had different types. I was amazed to see that the denim is not supposed to be boring since with Kancan you can get all kinds of jeans including mom jeans, boyfriend jeans, skinny pants or any type of jeans you want.
They ensure that the customer’s experience is customized and they never feel left out while shopping. Since I have a petite figure, jeans that would fit my thighs were rare to find, but with Kancan, now I can be confident in my own body and in my own style.
As someone who is always on the go and requires minimal clothes because of long traveling, Kancan has made my life easy.
I can now stay stylish, comfortable and cozy with my amazing denims for it. You can check out their website to see some amazing collections besides their top quality denims.
I assure you that their promising quality will make you their loyal customer and you will thank me later.
I chose Kancan for me, who do you choose?
Xoxo,
Katiee
Dyanna Dimick, born and raised near the seas of California grew up in a creative household which influenced her journey of developing her artistic abilities. Using her costal roots, her art pieces often show deep meanings in the waves, lines, and shapes using recycled materials and disposable goods. With having a close relationship of sustainability, Dyanna can be seen finding salvaged materials on the coast and recycling it in her art pieces. Using unique artistry of salvaged materials, she helps the viewer connect to nature and humanity through her work.
The meaning of denim to Dyanna goes back to the historic value when denim was originally created for the working class. Growing up with denim, it was an essential reminder of the '60s and '70s. Its style of hippie rebellion and anti war became a message that she held onto. Now that she's older it continues to serve as a representation of gender equality and the working class. To Dyanna, denim is an everyday essential society uses whether it's to wear or as a representation of a cause.
For Dyanna, the key message of "Days Go By" was sustainability. With most humans seeing disposable goods as "trash" she urges her audience to see the bigger picture of how the materials can be used to have a second life. Besides the use of our Kancan denim, she incorporated the use of graphite, acrylic, colored pencils, paper from envelopes, and pastel. Dyanna constructed layers of fabric and material, almost as if it were scrolling by, hence the name. Also, bringing attention to the water use towards denim, she wanted to show the extensive amounts of water involved in the denim making process. In a sense, the waves and the feeling of the ocean focuses on how denim is created by the earth.
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Janie, a Texas native went to the University Of Texas and studied textiles, fashion, and design and worked in the apparel industry for many years and at the same time got her graduate degree from the Texas Woman’s University. Her journey ended up leading her to teaching fashion design at the University of North Texas for over 25 years. She was the coordinator of the program and during her time there she also taught students how to work with Denim that included a big research project with denim. Cone Mills, a manufacturer of cotton fabrics would donate denim to the students for several years until it eventually ended up shutting down putting her and the students in a predicament into finding new denim to work with. That is where Janie really started getting into recycling denim. The students would recycle denim and find ways to be resourceful and out of it would do some amazing design work. Recycling is something Janie has been quite familiar with. While teaching, Janie was also pursuing a textile practice doing textile are for interiors and also was using all types of recycled materials. That is also when denim came into the picture again and she was using that along with many other textiles. As Janie continued pursuing her textile practice, that eventually shifted her away from the school and administrative work to being able to be more of an artist and let here creativity shine. It wasn’t long until she got one of her art pieces in a new hotel “The Kimpton Harper” in Fort Worth. Before that she had only done commissioned work for homes and galleries but this was a new exciting opportunity for her to have a commissioned piece in a brand new luxury hotel and has many more projects in the works.
Living in Texas, Janie was introduced to a lot of cotton as “Cotton is king” there as there has been a lot of denim produced out of cotton that was grown in Texas. Growing up in a largely cotton produced state, that influenced her meaning of denim and how much we think about denim, and how much we all wear denim. It really is a big part of our life. All socioeconomic cultures wear denim, all ages wear denim, and it’s one of the few garments that we actually like the more worn out it is Janie says. She finds it unusual for any apparel category to be something that a lot prefer more worn out and we couldn’t agree more. Janie is fascinated with denim and one of the things that stands out the most to her is how sustainable denim is. On top of the sustainability perks of denim it also goes so well with everything. It’s a garment that can be dressed up or down and has such a powerful history. What once started off as a utilitarian garment or workwear is now considered fashion, and something that is in every single one of our closets. The beauty of it is that it is a fashion garment but also still just as much a utilitarian garment as well. Janie says for her denim is the most amazing category we have in our closets, and then for her to take it and turn it into art just expands the variety you can have with denim.
"The more worn out it is, the more we like it"- Janie Stidham
Janie enjoys mixing colors with denim and for this piece in particular, she wanted to do something colorful that worked well with the denim. Starting off she enjoys doing story boards or swatch boards where she can experiment with colors and see how they work together. This piece started off with her first laying out the colors and the shapes and seeing what it does when you change the grain of the fabric. She loves experimenting with changing the grain of a fabric especially denim as it creates a nice fade and dimension. When she is looking at art and working on the fabric, a lot of her thought process is around piecing things together and finding out the dimension it creates. A lot of pieces when you put them together she says, looks almost like a perspective drawing creating a 3 dimensional appearance which was what her goal was for this piece. Versatility is another thing that came to mind while working on this piece because it can also be rearranged. The squares can be sectioned out and this whole design can be reconfigured to look completely different. Janie likes to work with a wide variety of textures, and in this piece, she got creative with mixing textures like linens and velvets. By mixing these textures it creates an intriguing effect where the look actually changes as you walk around the piece. What she really wanted when making this design was for people to read texture when they see this piece. We couldn’t agree more that the mixture of textures can be so beautiful and you can really see how it comes to life in. Something very special about this piece is that the majority of it came from reclaimed materials. Aside from using the recycled Kancan denim, she also used pieces that came from cutting room left over pieces from friends that worked in design and manufacturing, sampled goods that never got used, garments she recycled, and even some dyed textiles that also came from other designer friends. Janie is a fan of using recycled garments and is very resourceful when it comes to her work. Janie likes to work with a wide variety of textures, and in this piece, she got creative with mixing textures like linens and velvets. By mixing these textures it creates an intriguing effect where the look actually changes as you walk around the piece. What she really wanted when making this design was for people to read texture when they see this piece. We couldn’t agree more that the mixture of textures can be so beautiful and you can really see how it comes to life in “Denim Squared."
"With my work, I really want people to read texture when they see it"
- Janie Stidham
Instagram: @jane_time
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Suellen, based in the UK is an interior designer by trade who originally started off studying fashion design but found herself in the interior design field. Later along her journey she came across the punch needle and found out she was very passionate for the art. She has always had a deep love for yard so this was a way she could do an art that involved one of her favorite mediums. She picked up the art of the punch needle only about a year ago but hit the ground running and has already had great success in being recognized as a punch needle designer. She says punch needle is what was missing from her life and now it has become a huge part of it.
The meaning of denim to Suellen is more than just a piece of fabric but it is something that’s a part of everyone’s lives. It’s the first thing we’ll grab at a store, a pair of jeans. The amazing thing about denim is that it doesn’t choose race or size it’s made for everyone. She was excited to mix and incorporate both mediums of denim and yarn and really showcase this message even further by showing an example of how denim can really work with anything and that is why denim is our day to day every day. She mentions that denim to her means everything, she loves it, and like most people she is usually in denim every day. It is just a part of everyday life.
"Denim can work anywhere with anything"- Suellen Holmes
For Suellen, in the midst of making art she finds that it’s a time of letting go where it’s almost as if she is dreaming. When she goes into making an art piece she goes in with the mindset of letting her imagination go and finding a way to express her ideas and visions. As an artists she says the goal is trying to show the worlds what it is that is in your imagination and making it come to life for others to see. What she loves about punch needle is that the limits are endless, you can almost create anything. She finds it fascinating to have an image in your imagination and be able to bring it to life with the intentions to try and make others understand what is she is trying to portray. For the Kancan X Artists collaboration piece Suellen decided to do a punch needle coat. Her goal was to use up as much of the denim as possible which ended up being a success as there were only small scraps left in the end. She also wanted to show that both mediums could marry and come together into a beautiful art piece reinforcing that again denim can be a part of any occasion and any part of life.
"It feels amazing to be able to have a thought, an image, and be able to bring it to life"
- Suellen Holmes
Instagram: @atelier.origin
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Malka, now the owner of “A stitch in dye” started off as a print maker after graduating from the University of Texas with her bachelor degree of fine arts in print making. In her early career she spent most of her time drawing and print making including lithographs. It wasn’t till later down the road she made her way into textile art after seeing some of the drawings she had made that reminded her of textiles. Having no experience sewing or much experience with textiles whatsoever, she was eager to learn and was very intrigued by fabrics and textiles which led her into dying fabrics and patterning techniques. Little did she know her interest in textile art would bring her journey all over the textile world from designing fabric for fabric companies or quilts intended for galleries. Her journey has even led her to writing books for people to learn how to recreate the designs she’s made and she also offers classes and workshops.
For Malka, denim or jeans in that sense was this image of the ultimate cool thing growing up. Malka’s family were immigrants including herself and jeans and denim were outside the norm of what they were used to. For her, denim was this entry point into American culture as a kid. Malka explains how textiles are such a big part of who we are and it was a huge staple point of entering into a new culture. The great thing about denim is that it’s comfortable, casual, welcoming, and it made her embracing the everyday American culture all the easier and had a big influence on where her journey has led her to today.
"[Denim] was this image of the ultimate cool thing"- Malka Dubrawsky
Malka’s Kancan X Artists piece is titled “The Denim Quilt. Its design is inspired by the traditional log cabin pattern but in her own interpretation by upscaling the pattern and doing it in a new fresh way. The quilt was made with elements she already had on hand as that is part of Malka’s “ethos” to use up what you got. In this art piece “The Denim Quilt”, she wanted to use up as much of the denim as possible. After using up all the denim she could, she also wanted to add some sort of sentimental quality that she’s altered in some way. On the back of the quilt and one side of the binding she implemented a vintage sheet that once belonged at her parents’ house that she over dyed into a mustard color. During the Pandemic she and her brother have gone through her parents’ home while they have been at a nursing home and this sheet was one of the items she brought back with her. Malka wanted to incorporate this sheet into this quilt somehow and we are so glad she did as it makes this art piece all the more beautiful getting to have a real piece of Malka’s history sewn into it really bringing out the sentimental energy behind this piece.
"When I think about making a new piece, I want to delete all the extraneous and just focus on what absolutely needs to be there"
- Malka Dubrawsky
Website: https://www.stitchindye.com/
Instagram: @stitchindye
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Tina is a visual and textile artist based in Montreal Canada who is intuitive in her art and enjoys getting physically involved with the materials she creates with. She creates her own studio art from research based art practice but is also very involved in commissioned public art projects that focus on developing cultural mediation and social outreach. Tina chooses to work with textile and fiber based materials because it's relatable to people all over the world as from the moment we’re born we are wrapped up in cloth and it’s one of the first ways we express our individuality in the clothes we wear. Another reason she loves working with textiles is being able to manipulate the material to represent other things and emotions. Tina’s creation process happens very organically and is usually rooted from in depth research on subjects she is passionate about such as social issues, climate change, and human impact on the environment which plays a big part in the inspiration behind a lot of her work.
Tina explains how denim for her is approachable by the way it’s comfortable, serves as work wear, and comes from humble beginnings. She believes denim is a powerful material to talk about in the waste aspect and environmental impact of the clothing industry on water production since it is largely produced and made of cotton and appreciates the few companies that are pursuing how to reduce water in the production process and develop products that are more environmentally friendly. Tina looks at denim as an embodiment to talk about these issues as a material in itself but denim also has this comfort aspect where it's "home". In "Flux Infini" Tina combined a mixture of denim fabrics and other elements such as safety pins, zippers, sequins, and other sparkly fabrics to piece together this beautiful abstract piece inspired from the grungy, punk aspect that denim plays in the fashion industry and focuses on the attitude it brings but also the hope that it brings where we can create change by creating more ecologically conscious products. The denim gives this piece a raw and a humble breath of fresh air.
"[Denim] is such a approachable medium, I think we all know the feel and comfort that a good pair of jeans or a denim jacket bring"- Tina Struthers
Tina's Kancan X Artists piece is titled Flux Infini (Infinite Flow). The inspiration behind this piece is about the flow of water and creating circular economies and awareness. During many hours in a meditative state repetitively stitching, Tina goes through a lot of thought processes sometimes being deeply emotional. While making this art piece, one of things that spoke very strongly to her is what trace she, and all of us are leaving on our environment and on the time we’re living in. In the deeper message of this art piece, Tina challenges us to look at how fluidity changes by the markings that we’re leaving on our environment and how these traces merge into the flow of time like this art piece “infinite flow”. Growing up originally in Cape Town South Africa Tina's awareness for water use was experienced much differently than it is in Canada or the U.S. She was able to pull from her experience and really think about the way we use it and translate that into her art by creating awareness. She incorporated protruding parts in her abstract sculpture which become like water droplets or growth plants which brings out another theme in her work “Metamorphism”. The change in her art reflects on the change we can be and how we create, use products and recycle which will help in leaving less of a carbon imprint. Tina was able to take a deep message and recycled denim and turn it into not only a beautiful masterpiece but a glimmer of hope.
"I wanted the artwork to represent this puddle of water with light reflecting on it which is that reflection of hope"
- Tina Struthers
Website: tinastruthers.com
Instagram: @tina_marais_struthers
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Delaney’s works serve as explorations of geometric abstraction and as studies on color fragmentation in the deconstruction of portraiture, focusing mainly on the female form and facial profiles. By abstracting identifiable features and removing individual characteristics to varying degrees, the artist explores the perception of the female form. Her mission is to create broadly familiar subjects that reflect femininity as part of the whole rather than the individual. To counteract the simplicity of the abstractions, Delaney provides depth through the intricacies of the textures and patterns created within each geometric cell. The highly rigid boundaries of the geometric forms lend themselves well to the intermingling of color as oscillations between light and shadow.
Delaney is a classically trained architect who finds fiber art to be like "painting with textiles". She describes how denim is, "already very textured so it lends itself well to an artist since it calls attention to the fiber already being used within the art". You can see her architectural background shine through her piece as its geometric shapes, shading, and structure all come together to form a silhouette that's unique and masterful in its own sense.
"[Denim] is already very textured so it lends itself well to an artist since it calls attention to the fiber already being used within the art" - Delaney Conner
Delaney's Kancan X Artists piece is titled Femme 5 [In Denim]. The piece is a portrait of a woman's silhouette, part of her Femme series that exhibits what is left of a portrait when you remove some of its identifiable features and characteristics. Delaney further explains how her art "explores the perception of the female form". She also notes that including denim in her piece was interesting as it, "becomes sort of a metaphor for something that we wear as becoming a part of how we define ourselves".
"When you strip a portrait of a lot of identifiable features and characteristics, it becomes more of a mental exercise on how we're perceiving these women." - Delaney Conner
Website: delaneyconnerdesign.com
Instagram: @_dc.design_
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"I work primarily with repurposed materials, I enjoy the idea of giving them a second life. The idea of regeneration"
-Zak Foster
"I love the history of denim: I love that the word jeans comes from Genoa and the word denim comes from Nimes. I love the gold-diggers of the Old West wearing denim overalls and James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. I love that the blue originally comes from indigo, a sustainable and easily-sourced dye material at the time. I love how denim wears and fades naturally over time. And I love how you can dress jeans up or dress them down.
In this piece, I wanted to create a versatile piece that captured the physicality of the body that would wear these jeans. To that end, this piece can be displayed a number of ways: pulled taut, hung loosely, hung from both the top and bottom loops to create a drape. It’s a piece as flexible as they material it’s made out of. By keeping the legs intact, you can feel a bodily form that both stretches upwards and downward, giving the piece an energy and movement reminiscent of the body itself.
I love denim, and working so closely with the material gives me an even deeper appreciation for one of the world’s greatest industrial fabrics. As a textile artist who works primarily with repurposed materials, most of my fabrics come to me with stains or rips that they’ve accrued over a lifetime of use. As I was working with these jeans, I felt they were asking me, and by extension all of us, a question: What story are we hoping to communicate by wearing mechanically-distressed denim?
To Zak Foster, denim is "one of the worlds greatest industrial fabrics" describing it's durable nature and how its strength can be seen as a beautiful thing. Zak points out how denim and jeans, even the words themselves, have a "long and storied history", starting from each word's origin to how and why they are worn today. Its safe to say that blue jeans have become a classic staple in almost everyone's closet no matter the time or where you are in the world, holding true to Zak's funny, yet, honest question, "What did we wear before blue jeans?"
"It's a fabric that has traveled around the world, and now you can find people wearing jeans in nearly any country around the globe. I just feel like they're so, iconic"
-Zak Foster
Zak's Kancan X Artists piece is a denim quilt titled, The Denim Question. In addition to using our very own Kancan Denim, Zak also used orange acrylic yarn, something he noted as adding a "nostalgic connection" to his work. He goes on to explain how the human body itself was the inspiration behind his art. "I think you especially see [the body] in the bottom half of the piece where you see the legs, almost like someone's sitting side-saddle" Foster explains, showing that the quilt conveys the image of someone embodying it, almost giving it a life of its own. He goes on to describe how the denim material was an inspiration as well, trying to encapsulate the question of "what story are we hoping to communicate with this denim" which gives meaning to the artwork's title.
"I hope that when people look at this piece they see that question, about what story we hope to tell with our jeans"
-Zak Foster
Website: zakfoster.com
Instagram: @zakforster.quilts
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“When I'm creating art, it can be either very smooth sailing the whole time or it can be a big rollercoaster ride”
-Rachel Breuklander
Rachel is a Southern California fiber artist, working primarily with macramé and weaving techniques. She loves spending time out in nature with her pup Finn, traveling, and camping- and her love for the outdoors often inspires her work. You will often find her incorporating themes of desert landscapes or ocean scenery into her work. She enjoys using organic, natural fibers and playing with color and texture to explore new techniques in her fiber art.
Rachel describes denim as representing confidence. She further explains how she always feels her best when she wears jeans and a plain T-Shirt, which is something most of us can relate to. Rachel displays this confidence during our interview while showing us how she makes her macramé pieces, all while wearing her own favorite pair of jeans.
“I always feel the most confident when I'm wearing denim”
-Rachel Breuklander
The title of Rachel's piece is Undertow, which is the current below the surface current of the ocean. She explains how she wanted her art to show movement, which she accomplishes by using both light wash and dark wash denim pieces to display depth and motion, just as the ocean does. The incorporation of both denim and cotton rope allowed her to further mimic elements of the sea by creating a foam like detail by knotting together the cotton rope on the bottom half of her art. Rachel also told us how she found a piece of drift wood while hiking that eventually became the "hanger" for her macramé, a rather distinct creative touch.
“You go back and forth between 'I love this, I hate this, what am I doing, where is this gonna end up?' and then the final product is 'I love this again'”
-Rachel Breuklander
Website: thelarksheadshop.com
Instagram: @thelarksheadshop
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“Denim is such an important fashion aspect in my personal wardrobe. Every year, growing up, we would go school shopping for our first day outfits and a new pair of jeans was always really special”
-Zipporah Norton
A Virginia native painter and illustrator who is now living and creating in Washington, D.C.. My career began during my time at James Madison University, where I received a degree in painting, drawing, and printmaking. In 2017, I was a resident at the Tyler School of art's painting intensive program, Philadelphia, PA, and at the Torpedo Factory Artist Association visiting artist program, Alexandria, VA. I also have participated in several shows in Harrisonburg and Alexandria, Virginia and was in a group show, ETC... in Philadelphia summer 2017.
To Zipporah, denim has a great impact on a person. “It’s really amazing how it kind of influences so much and it’s such a reflection on personality”. Zipporah describes how denim is an iconic wardrobe piece that, through design and style, has the ability to tell so much about people and the direction in which the fashion world is heading.
“Your jeans can tell a lot about you”
-Zipporah Norton
The title of Zipporah’s piece is “Warp and Weft”. She describes how the “Warp” in this piece details the vertical stitching while the “Weft” details the horizontal stitching throughout her art. Zipporah’s craft shines through the name as her piece is intricately designed and crafted using oil paint, flash paint, and pastel chalk, all while including our Kancan denim structures. She also describes how her Kancan X Artists piece shows all of these elements working together as she uses different parts of our denim, like back pockets and waistlines, to further illustrate how you can take something apart and put it back together in a unique and different way.
“I’m very connected with the art, so when I’m putting something down on the canvas it’s like I’m putting all of myself into it. There are certain emotions and feelings that are pinpointed when I’m creating”
-Zipporah Norton
Website: zipporahnorton.com
Instagram: @zipporah_norton
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Lizi Phoenix is a fine artist and entrepreneur who paints and draws custom pieces on denim, paper, walls and other surfaces. Each piece or project is completely unique and custom made; Lizi works one-on-one with her clients to design items specifically for them and their goals. Lizi has a reputable clientele and has worked with high-profile individuals and brands ranging from T.I. to rag + bone.
For artist, Lizi Pheonix, denim represents wearability, versatility, and inclusivity. Lizi loves how denim could be worn by anyone of any age, race, and gender and also serve as a unique canvas for her to paint on and bring her creativity to life.
For her Artist x Kancan collaboration piece, Lizi was inspired by the first abstract piece she has done from her painting collection. For her collection, Lizi works with her clients one-on-one to come up with a piece that speaks to their personality. She took the same concept and mimicked the style and color of her painting and transferred it to Kancan denim, creating a fun and unique statement piece that’s one-of-a-kind. Lizi used one of her favorite paints which is acrylic as its simple to use and dries quickly so it could be painted over and over again if needed.
Website: Liziphoenix.com
Instagram: @Liziphoenix
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Autumn Breon works to reimagine global narratives through art and creativity. A graduate of Stanford University, she studied Aeronautics & Astronautics and researched aeronautical astrobiology applications for NASA. Autumn went on to advocate for global access to affordable education in South Central Los Angeles, India, and South Africa. During her frequent travels to the African continent, Autumn examined contemporary African art throughout the Diaspora and its impact. Based in Los Angeles, Autumn Breon now curates art and produces art programming to communicate ideas related to liberation, identity, and Diasporic memory. She has collaborated with art institutions and brands including LACMA, PacSun, and Amazon Studios. Her work has been recognized by the Smithsonian Institution, Aspen Institute, TED, the Obama Foundation, and LA Magazine.
For creative director Autumn Breon, denim is more than a fabric that plays a big part in her wardrobe. Denim represents the forgotten and often overlooked history that of the freedom fighters whose stories and contributions resonate deep within her.
Through her Artist x Kancan collaboration piece, Autumn communicates the history of denim and the role denim played in the Civil Rights movement. She describes denim's implications after slavery in the U.S. through the use of an ordinary object we see every day-- a drawer detailed with denim fabrics around it. The piece illustrates how creativity and innovation so often come out of necessity. Autumn's installation recognizes and celebrates the ingenuity, style, and legacy of Black community organizers that continue to fight against systems of racism.
This completely up-cycled artwork is an interactive piece that allows the audience to scan a QR code on top of the drawer with their smartphones. After the user places their phone into the provided projector, they will view a clip of Autumn narrating the historical and cultural significance of denim.
Website: http://autumnbreon.com/
Instagram: @autumnbreon/
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Eilen Itzel Mena is multimedia artist and community organizer from the South Bronx currently based in Los Angeles. Eilen Itzel Mena's arts practice synthesizes Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism and African Diaspora spiritual frameworks through painting and performance work.
For artist, Eilen Itzel Mena, denim means family, comfort, resourcefulness and nostalgia. Eilen looks back on her childhood when her grandparents would often take her and her cousins to the neighborhood thrift stores. Eilen remembers always looking for the perfect, classic denim jacket that would carry her through the fall that she could style with anything. Eilen describes denim as a classic material that no matter the age or what style you’re going for, you’ll find at least one thing that has denim in the wardrobe.
For her Artist x Kancan collaboration piece, Eilen gave new life and meaning to the recycled Kancan denim fabrics by creating an imagery of the rainbow; highlighting her middle name Itzel which means, “of the rainbow” as well as tying in her personal connections in signifying her siblings (as she is one of 3), her admiration of rainbows, and the metaphorical symbolization of hope after the storm. Eilen applied her personality and inspiration in expressing her creativity and vision with the use of bleach, dying, and sewing to represent the trinity of light: blue, yellow, and red found in a rainbow.
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In this unprecedented time, people across all sectors have been experiencing lost wages, delayed work, and have shifted their businesses to adapt to a new normal. This is undoubtedly a challenging time for all; and for those in the art community, they have been left with little options to show their work and generate an income.
In support of the art community, Kancan came up with the idea to provide an outlet for those artists impacted by the pandemic crisis. Those we have partnered with have given new life and meaning to our recycled denim. Artists used their creative freedom and vision to repurpose Kancan recycled denim by incorporating them into their own artwork. Not only is this collaboration an effort to raise awareness and help art communities, it is also an attempt to reduce, reuse, and recycle our denim to promote sustainability practices and environmental consciousness.
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