Creative Design: Graduate

Victorian Punk: Reimagining Couture Traditions Through Sustainable Design Techniques

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Abstract

Textile overproduction, textile waste, and increasing production speed are key sustainability challenges in the contemporary fashion industry (Bonelli et al., 2024; Gui & Long, 2024; Yatvitskiy et al., 2025). The culture of overconsumption and overproduction has consequently led to the loss of fashion craftsmanship, including hand-sewing and embellishment techniques (Brown & Vacca, 2022). The present design challenge was to create a cohesive look consisting of three garments that blend traditional hand-sewing and embellishment techniques with contemporary sustainable design methods.

The resulting ensemble reflects the preservation of couture sewing traditions through the lens of contemporary sustainable design practices. It integrates multiple approaches to sustainable fashion design, including fabric upcycling, material repurposing, zero-waste design, and craftsmanship preservation — each coexisting within a single outfit. This multi-method approach offers a model for apparel designers aiming to create diverse collections using non-harmful design methodologies while addressing the complex sustainability challenges encountered in their creative process. 

Keywords: Couture sewing, upcycling, deadstock, transformable fashion, Sustainability, Upcycling, Deadstock, Transformable Fashion

How to Cite:

Pavlova, I., (2025) “Victorian Punk: Reimagining Couture Traditions Through Sustainable Design Techniques”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21572