See that photo? That’s me.

In 2011, a great love led me to leave my family and friends behind to go to the other side of the world. I saw no other choice but to get rid of most of my wardrobe, and my friends turned the event into a spontaneous clothing swap. A dotted H&M jumpsuit, that shrunk so that my tall friend could not fit it anymore, suited me so well that I decided this would be the perfect outfit to wear when reuniting with my boyfriend in Asia. I still wear the suit, and when I do, I can never help but reminisce the first kiss we shared after months at Shanghai airport.

The suit and its story made me think. We live, laugh and cry everyday in garments, and we make memories while wearing them. They gain value, regardless of their price or quality, and things that on the surface seem worthless can be priceless and precious. The Dotted Suit Project collects exactly these kinds of stories. It aims to build a collection of garments with emotional value, created by their users.

Why is this relevant? Of course it can be amusing or endearing to read how we all connect to objects. But there’s a more important cause: The Dotted Suit Project inspires people to see their own capability to change their fashion consuming behaviour. Vivienne Westwood once said: “Buy less, choose well.” Awareness and value appreciation will make it natural to think twice before you buy or dispose a garment. In the end, don’t we all want to shift from chasing ever-changing fashion trends, to creating a true personal style and investing in long lasting garments that mean something?

Living sustainable is about attitude. We can all contribute, simply by creating awareness, by sharing the things we value. This is what The Dotted Suit Project stands for.
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