Lincoln Artist Creates Giant Jeans to Educate About the Impact of the Fashion Industry

The ‘Giant Jeans’, standing at just over 10 feet tall, may be the world’s largest pair of educational jeans made entirely from discarded denim. They, along with artwork produced by students from across Lincoln, will form a central part of the ‘Unpicking the story of your Clothes’ exhibition coming to Lincoln next week.

Created by Lincoln-based textile artist and owner of Rethread Denim, Kerry Gibson, the ‘Giant Jeans’ art installation opens at the Project Space Plus gallery on the University of Lincoln, UK campus on Thursday 16th February.

Kerry said: “I see the fashion industry like a giant jigsaw puzzle; every part of the industry has a role to play, and every action has an impact on something else.  If we understand the real fashion industry we learn about social, environmental, and ecological issues that affect us all. We can be educated on human rights, gender equality, consumption, and climate change. 

“The jeans and Project Fashion Fixed are simply a way of trying to raise awareness around these issues but in a fun and engaging way. I am ‘educating through creativity’ and trying to engage the younger generation and help them see that even the small decisions we make can make a big difference.” 

Project Fashion Fixed is an initiative Kerry led last year that inspired University of Lincoln and sixth-form college students to creatively explore topics around sustainable fashion as an extra-curricular endeavor alongside their studies. All the participants Kerry contacted to ask if they would like to participate a second time said yes and some of this art from 2022 will be on display at the exhibition.

Jessica Bunn, a Fashion Fixed participant and President of the E.C.O (Environment, Conservation and Opportunities) Society at the University, said: “By the end of the first session, I was hooked on the project and was shocked into making change. On that day, I took a one year pledge to not buy any new clothes.

“I wanted to amend my consumer behaviour to reflect the truth that Kerry has uncovered for us, previously hidden by the modern world of fast fashion and greenwashing. Project Fashion Fixed is educational in a fun and creative way, with a genuine sense of community, empathy, and passion for our world.

“I am so grateful for the knowledge and expertise Kerry has shared with us and the opportunities to collaborate with students outside of my course. Attendees of the exhibition will come away with a new perspective on consumerism as well as a sense of hope for the future, as slow and sustainable fashion flourishes.”

When describing the process behind the ‘Giant Jeans’, Kerry explained that the art piece was made entirely from discarded denim. She collaborated with the charity St Barnabas, and they kindly donated denim that could not be resold. After washing the denim, Kerry deconstructed the jeans into a new resource onto which she lasered images, weaving the story together using a patchwork technique. Renowned denim designer, Mohsin Sajid helped Kerry to construct the art on his professional machinery in London to complete the collaborative piece.

The story illustrated on the denim tells of the lifecycle of clothes; a topic Kerry explores through many of her projects including her recent TEDx talk at the Brayford Pool titled ‘Change your clothes! Change the world!’. Fellow TEDx speaker and singer-songwriter, Matt Tango Ellerby will also be at the event providing live acoustic music to complement the artwork.

‘Giant Jeans’ has been supported by ‘Lincoln Creates’, a Lincoln BIG initiative, and will be at the Project Space Plus Gallery in the Nicola De La Haye building from Thursday 16th through to Saturday 18th February, open from 10-4pm. 

No booking is required for this free event, with everyone welcome to attend. More information can be found on Kerry’s Instagram page: @rethread.denim.