WHAT TO DO WITH A COLLECTION OF 632 WOOL SKIRTS?
| By Susanna Cati |
SUDESTADA is a multidisciplinary studio positioned at the intersection of fashion and art, dedicated to identifying and amplifying voices from every form of creativity – from artists to artisans, designers to brands, and collectives and beyond – voices that are often marginalized by the dominant narrative of the industry.
From October 16 to November 30 in Brooklyn, NY, Sudestada presents “Wool Skirts,” an exhibition project and capsule collection dedicated to an extraordinary textile heritage: an archive of 635 wool skirts collected over the course of three generations. This initiative pays tribute to artisanal tradition and sustainability through the recovery and renewal of unique garments.
Audrey Huset, the family matriarch, dedicated her life to collecting second-hand wool skirts, carefully selecting and preserving them so that future generations could benefit from high-quality wool with great aesthetic value. Her passion for these textiles has been the driving force behind a collection rich in history and craftsmanship. Towards the end of her life, Audrey’s daughter, together with her daughter-in-law, organized the skirts by color, helping to bring order to this vast textile archive. Today, it is Audrey’s granddaughter, artist Mae Colburn, who carries on this family legacy. Mae works closely with the family to meticulously catalog every skirt and has transferred the collection from Minnesota to her studio in Brooklyn, New York. Through “Wool Skirts,” not only is the beauty and quality of wool celebrated, but also the value of memory, care, and sustainability in fashion. The exhibition and capsule collection represent a dialogue between past and present, tradition and innovation, offering a tangible tribute to a precious archive that continues to live on thanks to the commitment of three generations. The 632 wool skirts in the “Wool Skirts” collection span a time period from the 1940s to the 1990s, a historical era marked by multiple waves of feminism, the expansion of global trade, and the rise of fast fashion.
These decades tell the story of a profound transformation not only in the way people dress but also in the social and economic dynamics that have shaped the world of fashion. Today, this collection actively participates in a new era of debate on crucial issues such as gender justice, trade regulation, and environmental impact — complex topics that require humane, creative, and imaginative responses. “Wool Skirts” transforms the skirts into true canvases and the collection itself into a living forum where vital renewal of fashion can be experimented with and prototyped. After ten months of intensive research around the question, “What do we do with 632 wool skirts?”, the exhibition presents a curated selection from the archive, now finally accessible to the public also through direct purchase. Alongside these historic pieces, there are wool skirts reinterpreted by twenty-one international artists and designers, who have given new life and meaning to these historic garments.
The artists reinterpret selected skirts from the “Wool Skirts” collection through their own distinctive creative languages, ranging from painting to sculpture, performance to experimental fashion. Each work thus becomes a new way to imagine and experience the wool skirt in the present. Although all of them start from the same type of garment – a skirt – and the same material – wool – the creations are entirely unique and deeply personal. Through the hands of these creatives, the story of “Wool Skirts” gains a new chapter, one that honors both family and textile traditions while envisioning a future for fashion that is more circular, conscious, and vital. This collaboration between past and present underscores the importance of a fashion that knows how to regenerate itself, fostering an open dialogue between craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability.
Participating artists and designers: Alexandra Barlow, Alana Burns, Athena Kokoronis, Camila Banzo, Carla Duarte, Emma Larimer, Fanny Allié, Jason Rosenberg, Jessi Highet, Kisook Suh, Lorenza Lattanzi, Mariah Smith, Maxine Midtbo, Megumi Shauna Arai, Rachel Meade Smith, Ragna Frodadottir, Sabine Skarule, Sam Bennett, Sarah Nsikak, Sol Pardo, Tajah Ellis.
The exhibition features an exclusive program – workshops, presentations, and intimate gatherings that explore the world of vintage and second-hand clothing, the transformation of the wool industry and local production, and the power of mending, altering, and remaking in building a wardrobe designed to last a lifetime.
With the wool skirt collection at its core, these events generate knowledge about the enduring value of wool, the care of personal collections, and the craftsmanship and innovation that vintage clothing continues to inspire.
