Cassie Leatham Fisher Patterson is an Indigenous artist and designer who combines her traditional practices working with native flora with deconstructing and upcycling fast fashion pieces in her brand Yanggurdi.
“I call myself a fashion designer and creative as I deconstruct upcycled fashion and make it into new pieces, adding my dying work with native plants and woven adornments that highlight my culture,” Cassie explains.
The brand name that Cassie chose – Yanggurdi [pronounced ‘young gurdi’] means ‘walkabout’ in Cassie’s traditional language Taungurung. Cassie says that Yanggurdi is not just about fashion and garments, it is also a vehicle to spread information and awareness about how fashion production impacts the environment, creates waste and contributes to climate change.
“[These are things] that we all need to address today for a better future. [The fashion industry] is one of the three leading contributors to emissions. Fashion is an environmental disaster and the global climate crisis is real but the fashion industry doesn’t listen to.”
“I want to impact the mindsets of future designers with a visual experience that makes them think more about sustainability and ethical considerations in their making,” says Cassie. “Yanggurdi is bigger than just a brand. It’s about educating and promoting sustainability and ethics in fashion design.”
Instagram: @yanggurdi and @bushtukka_cassie
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