Enclothe 2019's theme, “Universal Elements” gave student the opportunity to create garments inspired by water, earth, air, fire, metal and space. I was inspired by the element of air.

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“Beautiful. Glamorous. Materialistic. Only some of the words that come to mind when one may think of the fashion industry. However, the clothing industry is the second largest polluter in the world (taking second place to the oil industry). Most of us do not think about the carbon footprint that toxic dyes and overused natural resources leave behind to manufacture and create garments we use everyday. Through the creation of my garments, a slip dress and oversized coat, I wanted to bring to light a physical representation of the problems that the fashion industry produces in regards to air pollution. I designed my garment as two separate pieces. I have juxtaposed a white, silk dress with a dark colored jacket. The white dress represents the clean, healthy air. The black jacket represents the polluted air. I chose to place a larger garment over a smaller garment to show that the air pollution is consuming and taking over the clean air.” - Karli Basler

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I also had the opportunity to work with the students in the electrical engineering department to incorporate lights on my garment (as seen on the flowers of the jacket). I wanted to further highlight the flowers and use the progression of color as a way to show that if we continue our wasteful ways we will take something that is beautiful and destroy it."