Existence is Resistance

Name: Existence is Resistance
Brand: Mr Fabulous Designs
Price: 700.0 CAD
Availability: OutOfStock

The world can seem to be headed in a direction of acceptance for folks who are not a part of the binary world we find ourselves thrown into, but every day is still charged with strong opinions shared with loud words, bold signs, and intense messages that try to pull down the supports we have built.

My use of camo is unusual as I do not connotate this print to things that I find calming, but in this case is a cheeky salute to the constant fight that queer people are engaging in daily just to be themself. The folks who have yet to explore and find themselves are celebrated in this piece as it tells the story of discovery - raising a glass to every person who is or has embarked on their self love journey. The pops of High Vis orange are seen in areas that naturally draw the eye, or have been used for spaces that are critical to the garments construction. The folks who have made the plunge into their identity and fully show this without discretion are the exact people I had in mind when creating this concept, as they have paved the road for every person who follows, and are the first to feel the ripples of hate we encounter in our society.

To make up the bulk of the garment, I used a camouflage suiting, that is representing the folks in our community who have not come to terms with their identity fully yet, or who have, but are remaining discreet. This integral part of our community has the process of unlearning self hate to focus on. Our society, accidentally and intentionally in some cases, erases queer expression, and has been worsened by the impact of DADT (Don't ask don't tell) or the ongoing HIV AIDS crisis that has taken too many of our community away from us and continues to be a hotspot for misinformation and stigma. The process of shedding this oppressive cloud is intense and not a simple process for folks, and I did not want to look past or discredit that battle.

Wherever you are in your journey of self discovery - I command your strength, resolve, and pride. Thank you for your existence

What inspired this garment?

This piece was an experimental idea I toyed with a while back. I love the concept of mixing traditionally masculine fabrics (construction site orange canvas and camouflage suiting) with a more traditionally feminine silhouette just felt right. One of the big distinctions which I was excited to tackle with this piece was the combination of 2 prints which I normally wouldn't reach for. In the end I ended up loving this mix of colours and feel that it really makes this piece standout even more from my usual creations - and it made me step out of my comfort zone.

How much work went into making this?

Step One: The pattern - I had hand drafted this pattern during my time in college, so I had saved myself a good deal of re-drafting, measuring etc.
Step Two: Finding the fabrics - Both of these fabrics were found at the thrift store, and caught my eye because they clashed in such an effective way. They remind me of army meets construction worker, which arent my usual aesthetics.
Step Three: Cutting the fabric - Cutting the fabric was one of the crucial steps here, and with any piece, as even a small amount too small or too large here, can make the garment fit wonky later.
Step Four: Construction - The circle skirts for under the knee are always the first I make here, and I saw them up together and then attach them to the knee band. I sew up the shorts portion of the piece, and the top, finishing my seams with a serged edge. I affix the straps to the shorts and hem the shorts and repeat these steps on the topside of the band.
Step Five: Finishing touches - I added a topstitch on the straps to keep them positioned up and down, so that they will not flip around in random directions. I find this makes them look more purposeful.

What are the garment measurements here?

The top is zipper closure at the back, which is convenient to put on - it fits someone less than 40" (101.5cm) at the chest and 36" (91.44cm) at the waist

How do I wash and store this piece?

These are nice and simple! Toss em in the wash with your other laundry, the only thing I would maybe suggest is a little mesh bag around them, because in the drier they will wrap around everything
Regarding storage, youll be fine hanging these from a standard pants hanger

What is the pricing like, and how do I order something like this?

This set here would be around $500 CAD, plus the cost of shipping. For a custom pair, the price would be comparable but it would depend on some factors like the base cost of materials, the amount of additional customizations there are to do, and if there were requests to do a less industrial finish, or include facings.