WARDROBE CRISIS with Clare Press

Wait, what? That's not real moss?! Occasionally, you come across something that blows your tiny mind. That's what happened when, flicking through a World of Interiors magazine in my local library, I discovered the blisteringly brilliant work of my guest this week. It lodged itself in my psyche and I determined to track her down. I did! And here is the resulting conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! In this Episode, I go and visit extraordinary textile artist Amanda Cobbett in her Guildford, UK studio to see exactly how she machine embroiders her magic realist sculptures inspired by the moss and lichen fragments she collects from the forest floor. If you find the Episode valuable, please help us share it.Find links and further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comSupport the show on Substack - wardrobecrisis.substack.comTell us what you think. Find Clare on Instagram @mrspress Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Imagine learning embroidery in the home of Henry VIII's famed Abraham Tapestries, which have hung on these hallowed walls since 1547. Turns out, it's a thing. The Royal School of Needlework is based at Hampton Court, and offers Europe's only degree program specialising in hand-embroidery. We meet three students from the class of 2025. Featuring: hard work and failing eyes, the marvellous crusty vibes of sea creatures, melted plastic, rock animism, Indigenous wisdoms and a possible haunting... who said embroidery was quiet pursuit? If you find the Episode valuable, please help us share it.Find links and further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comSupport the show on Substack - wardrobecrisis.substack.comTell us what you think. Find Clare on Instagram @mrspress Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's new about the current secondhand obsession?Trick question! Nothing.For most of human history, there really was no such thing as waste. As my guest this week, Robin Annear writers in her fascinating book, Nothing New, A History of Secondhand, "Common sense dictates that used must have always followed new." Used stuff had value and there was always a market for it. But how much do you actually know about the history of all this?Were you aware, for example, that Shakespeare bequeathed his wife his second-best bed in his will? Or that it was once considered normal to pawn your winter coat in summer to free up cash?Or that many servants were part-paid in the master’s cast-offs?From linen rags in high demand by the paper industry, to the British exporting their military uniforms to Holland (they were cut down to make flannel undergarments); from the posh ladies who patronised the revendeuses (the original preloved fashion dealers of Paris) hoping to nab royalties cast-off couture, to the origin story of the great Aussie opshop - this Ep is chock full of re-fashion stories that will blow your mind. Enjoy!If you find the Episode valuable, please help us share it.Find links and further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comSupport the show on Substack - wardrobecrisis.substack.comTell us what you think. Find Clare on Instagram @mrspress Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The global handcraft market is worth more than a trillion dollars. Yet, particularly in rural areas, many highly skilled craftspeople live with inconsistent incomes, no social safety nets and ongoing threats to their cultural heritage.There is rising interest their wares, for some of the same reasons that secondhand is booming - uniqueness, story, the human touch in an increasingly disconnected, AI-obsessed world. But do we really see the artisans behind the products we buy? What is the true value of skilled artisanship? Where do different worldviews, timelines, rhythms and Indigenous wisdoms come into it? And how can western designers work with diverse communities in authentically sustainable and ethical ways? Co-creation is a buzz word, but what does it really mean? "To co-create, we might need to unlearn top-down western ways of thinking," says my guest this week, Karishma Singh Kelsey, who's leading our new course on Wardrobe Crisis Academy."Working with artisans and micro-enterprises often requires a paradigm shift away from entrenched (and usually unexamined!) 'I am better than you' ways of thinking. It recognises that when different worldviews come together on an equal footing, we can create even more interesting outcomes."If you find the Episode valuable, please help us share it.Find links and further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comSupport the show on Substack - wardrobecrisis.substack.comTell us what you think. Find Clare on Instagram @mrspress Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re all secondhand shoppers these days. But where? How? And more importantly, why?Online marketplace platforms have grown exponentially (making billionaires of some of the founders in the process) but there’s also a surge happening IRL, where the indie dealers hold the power. And the more niche the better.In this episode we’re exploring how preloved fashion is booming in physical spaces, and in particular the new-style, curated vintage and archive fashion markets. Is it about sustainability or status, or both? Subcultures, nostalgia, a yearning for authenticity in our increasingly disconnected world, sheer fun - it all comes into play.Also covered: What’s with the curated obsession? Don’t we love a rummage anymore? What’s driving new gen uptake? Could we be seeing a backlash against fake AI vibes? What are the dealers looking for? Is it okay to haggle? Also, has decluttering fallen out of favour? Is it more about restyling what’s already in your wardrobe? SO MANY QUESTIONS! We’ve got answers.If you find the Episode valuable, please help us share it.Find links and further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comSupport the show on Substack - wardrobecrisis.substack.comTell us what you think. Find Clare on Instagram @mrspress Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.