Sophie Rowley | “The New Raw Materials of the Future”

Q: Sophie it’s been great to see you flourish over the years. What three words do you think capture the essence of Sophie Rowley? 

A: Minimalistic. Poetic. Experimental. 

Q: How did you first discover your love for ‘making’, has it always been there or did life gently nudge you in the right direction?

A: The art of making has always filled my days. My parents often recollect how entertained I was as a child for hours on end, with only scissors and paper. The importance of craft was also bestowed upon me at a young age from my grandmother’s love of textiles and experimental fabrications. 

Q: You were born in New Zealand, grew up largely in Germany. How have these places in time shaped who you are today?

A: Upon reflection, the two cultures have influenced my work in quite different ways. New Zealand’s serene landscape, encouraged an exploratory closeness to materials and the natural world, inspiring the tactility of my creations. Whereas Germany really shaped my future as a designer and unlocked so many opportunities. Europe was where I delved deeper into my craft and was embedded within an environment enriched in cultural nuances and inspirations — from my education at Central Saint Martins, to the museums, galleries and streets that are an active form of self-expression of a place. 

Q: The spaces within these walls paint a picture of a remarkable life — a safe space to shelter dreams, what does home mean to you?

A: Home is my sanctuary — the objects and belongings within these walls ground me and provide nourishment. I like to surround myself with objects that have an emotional resonance, that I have collected from different countries, cultures and places. Most of them hold a story or personal memory or were a gift from someone special. In that way, I can keep a connection to moments of the past.

Q: At Invisible Matters, we believe our spaces and the objects that fill them not only shape our behaviour but mould our values and visions for the future. What are some of your most treasured pieces and could you share how they came into your life and why they are important to you?

A: To me, the most timeless pieces in my home are not necessarily pieces that are timeless due to their design but more due to their meaning to me. Pieces that were handed down from my parents or grandparents, which might not be ‘beautiful’ in a traditional sense, but are meaningful to me as we share a history and timelessness. 

I have a favourite mug, which means a lot to me, that I bought from one of the potters in the Dharavi slum in Mumbai. I also really enjoy all the handwoven textiles (towels, blankets, clothing) I bought during my time in India. Textiles are so much part of our everyday lives and so adjacent to ourselves and our skin. It’s special to have these moments interwoven with my past memories and present everyday life. 

Q: We first met in New York as recent fashion graduates having both worked together for the likes of Alexander McQueen and Diane Von Furstenberg —I can only speak on my behalf but I came very disillusioned by the industry — pressure to produce multiple collections a year — where creativity, quality and craftsmanship were often sacrificed for higher sales and profits. Not only has this spurred unethical manufacturing processes in developing countries and immense pressure on design professionals, but it’s also propelled a ‘waste culture’, where it’s estimated that the fashion industry creates around 13 kg of fashion waste for every person on the planet every year. Did you share a similar experience, what made you transition out of the fashion industry? 

A: The industry definitely works at a very accelerated speed. Although there is a constant and unrelenting demand to be ‘new’ and to ‘reinvent’ which has taken its toll on human and environmental footprints, I feel there is a growing awareness and shift to be better and steer the industry in a positive direction. Fashion was interesting for me, but materials were often given little thought, it became clear that manipulating the material itself was where I was most passionate. I made a pretty conscious decision to detour from the speed of the design industry. As a solo artist working on private commissions for brands and galleries, it’s nice to be able to take the time to develop something with deep thought and consideration at my own pace. 

Q: We have both had the great fortune to work in a range of cities across Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific giving us exposure to different cultures, design approaches and ways of being. To me, the developing countries are particularly interesting, if we take India for example it’s expected to become the youngest country by 2022 (largest educated millennial population) where tech is making significant leaps in innovation. If we look at the Dharavi Slum, it’s one of the largest slums in Asia, the resourcefulness of its 9 million inhabitants has lead to entrepreneurial small businesses specialising in recycling plastic waste turning over $1Billion USD yearly. 

You spent some time working for Godrej & Boyce, one of India’s largest manufacturing firms giving new life to industrial garbage. Can you talk us through this experience, how it impacted your work today and how the local craftspeople you worked collaboratively with affected your design process or approach? 

A: India was a truly magical experience, so different to anything I had experienced before. There was always something happening, the streets were never quiet. I really valued how accessible and transparent the process of making was — street corners were full of small booths with artisans throughout the cities and villages. There was no behind the scenes, it was on the streets where I was able to witness first hand how things were made. 

The recycling industry in the Dharavi slum offered exactly this transparency. By spending time there I had the opportunity to get insights into the different steps involved in recycling the city’s plastic waste, from categorising, melting, grinding and making granules that were then sold off to industry as new raw material. I learnt a lot from these local makers, as we had the opportunity to work together. It was beautiful to see these craftswomen and men applying age-old techniques and skillsets to new materials and utilising every waste stream. 

Q: Your textile collections have received international acclaim and have been the recipient of many awards and exciting commissions. My two favourites have been your Bahia Denim ‘Material Illusions series’ and ‘Khadi Frays', how did one flow to the other and what are some of the difficulties you have encountered along the way that have shaped your approach today?

A: The Bahia denim (a material made from recycled jeans with a marble-like surface) was a fabrication developed as part of my Master’s collection entitled ‘Material Illusions’ — a study of the transformation of waste materials over time. The collection utilised typical waste streams to develop a range of novel materials from glass, styrofoam and textiles. In order to achieve these transformations, I simulated and employed several processes found in nature and imitated erosions to essentially transform these basic materials beyond recognition. The interplay between natural versus synthetic was central to the collection, encouraging people to question the perception of materials themselves. Our perception of materials doesn’t necessarily derive from the material source but rather can be connected to the process undertaken. As these materials are more experimental and handmade, the upscaling to an industrial scale isn’t going to happen tomorrow, but I am hoping to communicate a shift in our understanding of what recycled materials can look like.

Khadi Frays just came out of the process of experimentation during my time in India, it was a process inspired by the Indian term ‘Khadi Spirit’ (coined by Mahatma Gandhi meaning the state of illimitable patience)— as a means of encouraging local production during its quest for independence. Patience and contemplation lie at the heart of these pieces. Instead of building up the material thread by thread, threads are slowly removed.  I like the idea of starting with something very basic and making it admirable only through the application of a process. I submitted it to the Loewe craft prize and got selected as a finalist, as a result, I started to develop more pieces, adding in more experimentations. The differences in weight and tension of the warp and weft lead to subtle variations in shade and dependent upon the perspective angle, reflections on the surfaces occur. It was my venture back into textiles after working materials for a few years. 

Q: We’re living in a year, 2021, that will be remembered as a monumental turning point — a global pause, exposing the fragilities of our complex global systems and structures. What impact do you think this will have on design?

A: I am hoping that we will go out of this period with a renewed understanding of the world around us, adjusting our pace and prioritising what’s essential. In many respects we have seen the natural world has come back to life, I highly recommend David Attenborough’s new “The Year the Earth Changed” documentary. There is no doubt that things have become clearer with the way we live our lives, some things previously thought of as essential we’ve realised might not actually be necessary. Our response globally to Covid-19 has taught us to relinquish power to plan the future, it’s demanded a lot of flexibility upon governments, business and individuals. Adaptability has become the word for 2020/21 — I think this is a skill the design industry will benefit immensely from, while also being more present and inventive on the decision concerning people + planet.