On March 23rd, 2024, we had the opportunity to participate in a stimulating learning experience with guest lecturer Olese Kekiene as part of our Social and Sustainable Business Innovations course at ISM. Olese Kekiene is a designer and founder of Designsense. Her work explores imperfection, acceptance, body experiences, and the emotional connection between clothing and wearer.
As an EMMIE with a background in sustainable fashion, her journey resonates deeply with me, reaffirming the power of aligning passion with positive change within the industry. Her knowledge offers valuable lessons. Drawing inspiration from Olese’s journey, Asma Mokhtari, Carla Davila, and I had the privilege of interviewing her. Our discussion delves into the world of sustainable fashion, explores the relationship between arts and community, and emphasizes the significance of quality craftsmanship. Olese’s perspectives provide insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.
1. Motivations and Inspirations
Olese expressed her profound fascination with human behavior and the dynamics of societal interaction. Viewing herself as an observer from an outsider’s perspective, she is intrigued by the complexities of human nature. This curiosity fuels her passion for exploring the relationship between aesthetics, environment, and well-being.
“I feel like this alien who doesn’t know anything about humanity and how to live on earth. So, you know, just a joke. But I come from this point of curiosity, not knowing. And for me, it’s interesting then to observe, to see what people think that this is normal”
Olese stresses that design’s influence extends beyond the physical world, profoundly affecting our mental and emotional well-being. She advocates for a future where healing aesthetics are intentionally woven into our surroundings and clothing, creating a greater sense of holistic health throughout everyday experiences
2. Art as a Catalyst for Innovation
Olese highlights the structured yet innovative nature of the creative process. She dispels the myth of artistic inspiration as a spontaneous event, emphasizing the presence of a transparent algorithm guiding the generation of new ideas and decisions. From her own experience, Olese reflects on her initial struggles with machine sewing, eventually leading her to embrace hand-sewn haute couture as a unique niche. She underscores the importance of perceiving limitations as opportunities for creativity and advocating for collaboration between artists, designers, and businesses to explore novel solutions. Olese envisions a future where merging different industries and creative processes can yield unique and beneficial outcomes, such as using theater or music for therapeutic purposes in healthcare settings.
3. Fashion’s Role in Social Change
Olese envisions a significant shift in the industry’s landscape. She believes that traditional fashion as we know it is becoming obsolete, paving the way for what she terms as the “garment industry.” In her view, this transition opens up possibilities for fashion to serve diverse purposes beyond mere aesthetics.
“What I said is not only just my opinion; I think the fashion industry is absolutely dead. The industry could be going in the direction of the garment industry, offering different possibilities to look at it.”
Olese emphasizes that a singular authority should not dictate the future of fashion but should instead cater to various needs such as health, self-expression, community, and creativity. She predicts that sustainability will play a fundamental role in shaping this new era of fashion, asserting that it’s inevitable for garments to embrace sustainability moving forward. Olese underscores the importance of collective action in shaping the industry’s future, highlighting the significance of today’s decisions in shaping tomorrow’s fashion landscape.
4. Attract Customers Through Shared Values and Experiences
When asked about advice for individuals with artistic inclinations venturing into business, Olese emphasized the importance of starting from within oneself rather than focusing solely on the market. She suggested identifying personal needs and everyday challenges as a starting point, viewing oneself as the target market. By addressing one’s problems and passions, individuals can naturally attract like-minded customers who resonate with their products or solutions. Olese highlighted the significance of authenticity and personal connection in this approach, noting that by solving their problems, individuals can organically connect with their audience.
5. Building Community Through Art
Olese shares a profound insight derived from her intuitive stitching project. She describes the process of rhythmic stitching and embracing mistakes as a philosophy of the mind, where imperfections are not erased but embraced as part of the experience. Taking this approach beyond her practice, Olese introduced intuitive stitching to various communities, including suburban groups and hospital settings for diabetic patients. By treating fabric as a metaphor for the human body and the needle as a healing tool, participants found solace and connection through stitching. Olese highlights the transformative power of communal creativity, exemplified by mothers of diabetic children exchanging garments adorned with stitches, fostering a sense of unity and shared experience. Ultimately, Olese’s project illustrates how art can catalyze community engagement, providing aesthetic and emotional benefits to participants.
6. Advice for Sustainable Fashion Start-Ups
Olese highlights several critical areas where entrepreneurs interested in sustainable fashion or art can make meaningful contributions. One pressing issue she identifies is the surplus of unused garments that end up in landfills while many communities lack adequate clothing resources. To address this, Olese advocates for connecting surplus garments with those in need, emphasizing the importance of giving rather than selling these items. Additionally, she underscores the need to bridge the gap between small-scale designers and artisans, particularly those who lack access to traditional fashion industry channels. Olese suggests creating platforms to showcase their work and facilitate collaboration, empowering them to reach a broader audience and amplify their impact.
Moreover, Olese emphasizes the importance of revitalizing traditional craftsmanship within the garment industry. She laments the need for more specific artisanal skills, such as weaving, and advocates for reconnecting designers with artisans who possess these specialized skills. By promoting collaboration between designers and artisans, Olese believes entrepreneurs can preserve cultural traditions and infuse their products with authenticity and heritage. Overall, Olese emphasizes the significance of collaboration, co-creation, and connection as essential strategies for driving innovation in sustainable fashion and art. She encourages entrepreneurs to tackle these pressing issues by fostering partnerships, leveraging technology to create platforms for showcasing artisans’ work, and promoting the revitalization of traditional craftsmanship. In doing so, she believes that creative minds can contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable, and socially responsible future for the fashion industry.
Inspiring others to take action and make a difference…
As we wrap up this insightful conversation, Olese expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to share her thoughts and insights. She acknowledges the importance of open dialogue and hopes that her words have inspired others to embrace their creativity and pursue positive change within the fashion industry.
“I wanted to thank you as well. This is a big opportunity for me to talk, to inspire, to give my heart, to say all those things. Because the most important message, what I want to say to everybody, is that there’s no others, there will be no others who will solve those things. We can do that, like every person. So thank you for this possibility.”
Find Olese’s Work Here:
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Interview by: Asma Mokhtari, Carla Davila, Thanita Ketkittikhun
Written by: Thanita Ketkittikhun
