How clothes can be spiritual?
“Fashion is a school that assembles a mass discipline and the same consciousness levels under the same roof”
Historically textiles have been part of human consciousness for millennia. They have a living presence and are equated to making a life. The cloth is universally also significant in every ritual that is part of a mortal human journey from birth to death.
Let us look at cloth language: life cord, life hanging by a thread, put a spin on (to a story), knots in my stomach, cut from the same cloth, family heirloom, life span, bondage, make your mark (print). It is fascinating that cloth is conceptually closer to us than we realise.
Physically too, the DNA string? Even the birth of the universe is seen as a vibrating filament of energy, as theoretical physicists speak of string theory which relates to the smallest known bit of matter coming into existence ( if you magnify subatomic particle billions of times, it would look like a pulsating loop of a violin string).
The structure of space is linked to the textile. Space or the matrix of thoughts is woven from a network of loops just like a piece of cloth is woven from a network of threads. Hence we call it the Fabric of the Universe. What about the infinitely expanding World Wide Web?
The vail of Maya and sutra, which means text or scripture, comes from a term Sut or thread and the concept of stringing together. Tantra is variously translated to weave, woven together or continuity. It’s root tant, is for a stretched wrap or stretch beyond.
Yantra translates as loom and of course the famous wheel of fortune and the 3 fates weaving the threads of life.
Everywhere we look Fabric Consciousness is ever-present in the psyche of our universe.
Textiles have been a personal interest of mine. I love cloth’s provenance in particular, due to its ability to not just tell a story, but history sometimes of a whole culture. Ethnographic, antique and vintage handwoven fabrics are my all-time favourite. I trust that tactility that translates as a sensual aspect of the fabric, knit, embroidery or stitch reconnects us to our body and self in new ways, when plants and natural dying anchor us in the now.
Since 2013 I’ve ran a fashion label that focused on knitwear and later handwoven, vintage and plant-based fabrics to create one of kind menswear and womenswear ( for more information about Lana Siberie click here). Having presented collections at fashion weeks, participated in pop-ups and given talks on fabric, I decided to limit my focus on the energetical value of the cloth. Why? Simply because I believe that textiles that we're woven:
by hand are more valuable energetically
there is double or even tripple handwork done as handwoven fabric is often found embroided, beaded and even hand-dyed
allow for better energy exchange between the wearer and world
at least 20 years ago carries a long-standing committed connection to the past, our ancestors and their legacy just like any vintage, antique or ethnographical matter would
are often more cleaner due to fact that chemical dying wasn't as widespread
This makes them overall a lot more spirited than any other clothing I’m fascinated with the notion of care and repair in fabric and the creative abilities held within the individuals exploring and expanding the ways we perceive it.
For all cloth related products visit: WHITE section of the shop. New collaborations and designers coming soon.