Newsletter
School of Art
Seek Knowledge for Wisdom and Peace
Vol.2, Issue.10, October 2024
Miniature Painting
Federally Chartered
Degree Awarding Ins�tute
Recognized by Higher Educa�on Commission (HEC)
Thesis project by textile design student Visha Imran entitled”From Rust to Elegance: A Wabi-Sabi Approach to Sustainable Fashion”
In a world that is riddled with high-stress
levels, fast-paced living, unrealistic pursuits
of perfection, and a damaging aiction with
materialistic wealth, there’s an ancient Japa-
nese way of life that can be just what we
need right now, to save us from our total
demise. Wabi-sabi is an elegant philosophy
that denotes a more connected way of
living—a lifestyle, where we are deeply
connected to nature, and thus, better
connected to our truest inner-selves.
Wabi-sabi is a concept that motions us to
constantly search for the beauty in imperfec-
tion and accept the more natural cycle of life.
It reminds us that all things including us and
life itself, are impermanent, incomplete, and
imperfect. Taken individually, wabi and sabi
are two separate concepts. Wabi is about
recognizing beauty in humble simplicity. It
invites us to open our heart and detach from
the vanity of materialism so we can experi-
ence spiritual richness instead. Sabi, on the
other hand, is concerned with the passage of
things grow, age, and decay, and how it manifests
itself beautifully in objects. It suggests that beauty
is hidden beneath the surface of what we actually
see, even in what we initially perceive as broken.
Taking inspiration from this deep philosophy,
textile design student Visha Imran converged it
with rust-dyeing technique by integrating it as part
of sustainable fashion. This was unique, yet mean-
ingful as there is a parallel between both the philos-
ophy and technique due to their appreciation of
imperfections and celebration of the authenticity
brought by natural processes. For this purpose,
rusted metal was used as a versatile and enduring
medium that can help in creating unique patterns
for aesthetically rich, yet meaningful fashion. Such
projects involving experimentation with dierent
materials can contribute signicantly towards a
sustainable approach towards fashion discourse.