Crazy from the Heat (undergraduate thesis)

Spring 2024

“Crazy from the Heat” is an upcycled surfwear collection responding to the exploitation of the surfwear industry, as it relates to commercialism and the climate crisis. From the 1960’s onward, surfing and the adjacent subculture took new form as companies shifted advertising— commodifying what it meant to live a “surfing life.” These efforts took symbolic power out of the hands of athletes, and into those of general consumers— a shift causing the surfwear industry to be framed in terms of the fashion or aesthetic value of the clothing, as opposed to the function and performance of the garments. This realization brought surfwear production into the realm of mainstream, often offshored, fashion manufacturing. While subcultural membership became more accessible, questions arose surrounding ethics, longevity, and sustainability. By way of handcraft and sustainable material choices, the line of surfwear accessories and garments aims to address said concerns. Utilizing 5000+ recycled plastic sequins, hand-knotted fringe, and other methods alike, I've worked to lean into the desires of the broadened subculture— all without marring the landscape in which it is dependent on.

20% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic sequins, recycled PET plastic sewing thread, second-hand clothing, airbrush, out-of-circulation coins, seashells, shark teeth, recycled glass beads, second-hand St. Christopher pendants, vintage Kochi charms, stainless steel and sterling silver hardware.