How can we make more sustainable choices with our fashion?
Sustainability is something the fashion industry is grappling with after decades of promoting “fast fashion.” Many makers are meeting the challenge of reducing waste by honoring the process of craft and design, focusing on the local, and designing clothing with longevity— and reuse — in mind.
Doris Duke’s wardrobe features items that have not only sustainability challenges—materials that were innovative in the mid-20th century now have long-term conservation dilemmas. Her clothing also reflects her connection to the ocean and the importance of place. Innovative swimsuits, snorkel gear featuring neoprene wetsuits, rock-walking shoes, and well-crafted caftans all featured the lasted technology designed for athleticism, ease of travel, and to show off the “new.”
Featuring contemporary fashion designer Jill Palese, this exhibition looks at the materials, textiles, and designers in Doris Duke’s wardrobe alongside interpretations of more eco-friendly fashion. From pollution to plastics to creative and innovative ways to improve clothing, Fashioning Sustainability: Doris Duke’s Legacy of Conservation places fashion front-and-center in the conversation about climate change, sustainability, and how we can move forward towards a more resilient future.
About artist Jill Palese: Jill is 25-year veteran of the fashion industry, having served as head swimwear designer for leading national and international brands. After decades inside the apparel industry, she witnessed firsthand the environmental costs of fast fashion and resolved to redirect her career toward sustainable innovation. She works to create art that is beautiful and sustainable. I use a unique blend of eco-smart design, invention, and cross-disciplinary collaboration with scientists and artists who share a commitment to addressing climate change. As the founder and Chief Creative Officer of Call To Action® Clothing, a Boston-based “start up”, my work is centered on sustainable innovation for apparel. She believes that fashion is a medium for storytelling, a means of creating positive change. She merges design, invention, and activism to create work that exposes the hidden costs of clothing and invites audiences to imagine a more sustainable future. This vision aligns with Doris Duke’s legacy of preservation and her deep connection to the ocean.
About the Doris Duke Fashion Gallery: Not just fashion history. Fashioning history.
The Doris Duke Fashion Gallery explores Doris Duke’s legacy through this remarkable collection— and reflects on the ways her fashion choices are woven into the larger cultural narrative of the 20th-century and ties into her advocacy for the arts, design, and preservation.
Included in admission to Rough Point Museum. Plan your visit
