Liis Kalda

• Deconstructed Hat: Exploring the Potential of Upcycling and Database-Driven Narratives in Developing a Concept for a Headwear Label.
• Tutor: Julia Valle Noronha and Piret Puppart
• Felt, ribbon, leather, metal, paper, vinyl

In my master’s thesis, I explore the potential of upcycling and database-driven narratives in developing a concept for a headwear label, aspiring to counter the wastefulness and value inflation of garments in the fashion industry. The main focus of my research is to determine how to preserve the narratives of vintage hats when deconstructing them. Deriving from it, I examine how to embrace the flaws of vintage felt and turn them into assets, as well as analyse the usefulness of an archive database for narrative creation. The theoretical part concentrates on the importance of an item’s narrative in brand identities and the changing value of clothing historically. Additionally, it gives an overview of deconstruction fashion and looks at the felt material in light of it. The practical part of the work addresses preserving the narratives of pre-used felt hats by means of object-based research. The final collection uses original details from vintage headwear and transforms previous imperfections into design elements, valuing and highlighting their historical context.