May 30, 2015

Wrapped in the World

Céline Semaan of Slow Factory has teamed up with the World Wildlife Fund to to launch Petit Atlas, a sustainable clothing collection inspired by images of the Earth itself.

By Glendon Mellow

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Céline Semaan of Slow Factory has teamed up with the World Wildlife Fund to to launch Petit Atlas, a sustainable clothing collection inspired by images of the Earth itself.

Using NASA satellite imagery, the collection features traditionally-dyed silk of islands, a phytoplankton bloom and even a volcano, all seen from space. Discussions of climate change in the media are increasing every day. Why not provoke some more?

Something that impresses me about the Petit Atlas collection is how the philosophy behind the clothing is so pervasive at all scales. We greet each other with wearing clothing on our bodies; a portion of the money from purchasing that clothing goes to benefit the World Wildlife Fund; the creation of the clothing takes as little from the Earth as possible; the satellite imagery is about all of us together. Petit Atlas manages to be both micro (human) scale and macro (global) at the same time. Moving through the world with these garments is to move through the world while simultaneously carrying it on your own shoulders.

Which I suppose we all do, with any clothing. Céline Semaan's genius lies in making those connections provocative and clear.

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