Our sixth Vol. II Political Pamphlet!
Personal Style is Political Style highlights Janelle’s work and research in sustainable fashion design and includes highlights from her project Wardrobe Therapy, a part of JRAT: Zero Waste.
The pamphlets are hand-sewn by Janelle with scraps from her studio and risograph printed by our amazing friends Paper Press Punch.
Janelle Abbott (JRAT) grew up in and amongst the bolts of fabric at her parents clothing manufacturing company in 1990s Seattle. Early exposure to the industry led her to Parsons School of Design, graduating in 2012 with a BFA in Sustainable Fashion. Her professor, Timo Rissanen, then employed Janelle to sew white t-shirts in Helsinki’s Amos Anderson Museum as the subject of “15%” (the amount of material wasted in traditional clothing production), an installation conceived with Salla Salin—the performance was reprised at NYC’s Kellen Gallery with Janelle once again playing seamstress/slave. Janelle has always been anti-slavery/human trafficking, anti-fast fashion, and fiercely committed to sustainable design methodologies such as zero waste pattern drafting, upcycling, and beyond. The materials she utilizes and her commitment to accountability exemplifies this. Today, Janelle creates clothing, tapestry, sculpture, wearable furniture and rugs, and more: exclusively from reclaimed materials. She offers Wardrobe Therapy as a service for private clients looking to transform old beloved garments into new, wearable pieces. Teen Vogue named Janelle and her collaborative venture, FEMAIL, one of 2019’s Emerging Designers. FEMAIL has been featured in Interview Magazine, Nylon, and in a solo exhibition at the Bellevue Arts Museum (2018).
