B O R N E A L O F T
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I was inspired by the cycles of decay and renewal in the natural world as it fluctuates from autumn, winter, spring, and summer. This environment instilled an early fascination with natural fibers, dyes, and the rhythms of ecosystems, lessons that now guide my practice.
Borne Aloft is a project I initiated in 2024 with the aim of creating a collection entirely sourced within the Netherlands. Building on my earlier work, Among the River Sallows, this collection focuses on the integrity of natural fibers and dyes, celebrating the resilience of nature as our greatest teacher. Rooted in principles of sustainability and reciprocity, Borne Aloft integrates local Dutch resources and collaborations with initiatives such as The Linen Project, The Knitwit Stable, Verfmolen De Kat, Brabant sheep and alpaca farmers, and Zaandam antique linen suppliers. Each step of the process honors the rhythms of nature – dictated by when the sheep are shorn, the linen is harvested, and the flowers are picked for their color. The result is a biocompatible collection of garments crafted from Dutch wool, linen, antique fabrics, and natural dyes, showcasing the beauty of locally sourced, climate beneficial materials.
Debuted in September on the Keizersgracht during the 2024 GLUE Amsterdam Design Route, the collection was exhibited alongside a process film by Joe Eshuis, offering insight into the time, care, and collaboration required for sustainable garment production. Through this work, Borne Aloft challenges the fast-fashion paradigm by fostering awareness of ecological systems and affirming the feasibility of a local, sustainable supply chain for small scale production in the Netherlands.
Borne Aloft reflects a deeper inquiry into clothing as an extension of place and community. It is an invitation to reconsider our relationship with clothing and petroleum based fibers. By removing the ‘fashion’ element from the garment trade, this shift would allow for clothing to become both a living expression of where you live, and a symbol of the community you belong to.
The title Borne Aloft is derived from the Keats poem “To Autumn”. The poem praises the changing seasons, describing nature's abundance, harvest, decay, and rebirth over time; using intense and sensuous imagery to elevate the fleeting beauty of nature. Among the collection is a hand-painted cotton gauze dress I created entirely from Verfmolen De Kat’s pigments, to showcase the integrity of their extracts. The forest dress is inspired by the rural landscapes of my hometown – decaying cornfields, derelict buildings, and tendrilled trees. It symbolizes nature in its entirety, crafted exclusively from its pigments.
At its core, Borne Aloft is a social practice, a commitment to rethinking our society’s patterns of creation and consumption. As Robin Wall Kimmerer writes, “Reciprocity is an investment in abundance.” Through this ethos, Borne Aloft seeks to inspire a return to ecological fashion systems that honor both the land and the people who sustain it.
