Some people take do-it-yourself seriously by crafting their own birdhouses, knitting hats or even brewing beer. Brooklyn artist and womens’ wear designer Sarah Kate Beaumont has achieved an entirely different level of self-sufficiency in a significant aspect of her life. Imagine if every item of clothing you wore were unique in the world. For seven years, Beaumont has been designing and making her entire wardrobe, from underwear to hats.  In contrast to Fast Fashion, Beaumont makes her hyper-slow clothes stitch by stitch in her studio: Slow Clothes.  “What started as a way to economize became a lifestyle of self-reliance and self-expression,” says Beaumont.

Beaumont will present a retrospective of this project with examples from her personal wardrobe. She will discuss her process, inspiration and the zeitgeist of maker-ism.

Beaumont draws upon her inventive imagination and historical fashions and more to create an extraordinary range of attire including elegant silk hats, utilitarian accessories and one-of-a-kind garments. Her attire is performance art as well as a display of skilled craftsmanship.

Beaumont currently is producing a series of humorous and informative videos teaching consumers what to look for in sewn goods to determine the quality before they buy, guiding them to shop smarter. Three videos from this Conscientious Consumer series are free and available to view at:

How to Look at Hats: https://vimeo.com/verysweetlifestudio/hats
How to Look at Belts: https://vimeo.com/verysweetlifestudio/belts
How to Look at Bedding: https://vimeo.com/verysweetlifestudio/bedding

“Sarah Kate Beaumont…has made all of her own clothes—and beautifully. In her monastic dedication, she’s reminiscent of Joel Salatin …whom Pollan hails as a model of sustainability in The Omnivore’s Dilemma. …It took Beaumont decades to perfect her craft; her example can’t be knocked off.”  Julian Sancton, Bloomberg Businessweek, June 2012

Beaumont taught art in New York City High Schools for six years and offered sewing classes in her studio. Her project is featured in Elizabeth Cline’s book Overdressed: The High Cost of Cheap Fashion and profiled in such publications as The New York Times, Yes! Magazine and Ultimo Segundo (Brazil).