I remember when I spent entire summer days drawing new designs alongside my twin sister, Nidia. The joy I took in drawing each “doll” as we called them, inspired me to pursue fashion design academically. This outfit was heavily inspired by the ’90s, and my interpretation of fashion as an art form. The “dolls” above,…
Category: Nature & People
Women’s Capabilities in “I Love Lucy”
Although “I Love Lucy” was about 40 years old when I began to watch it, I still love it and treasure each moment that I am able to watch a re-run in Los Angeles. My home is just a few blocks away from studios that housed “I Love Lucy” as part of Desilu Productions. Living…
Development of a Sustainable Design Aesthetic
Developing a strong design aesthetic requires acknowledgement of the mind’s creative potential. It has taken my twin sister and I over 10 years to develop distinct design aesthetics. Both of our aesthetics are geared towards sustainability, but they are distinguished by the way we approach thinking about design. I will focus on communicating my sister’s,…
Basket Cases
Originally posted on Organikos:
What strange growths protrude from this tree? Photo by Seth Inman. There are birds around the world that use strands of different materials to craft marvelous woven nests that hang from tree branches — if you’re lucky enough to see them! Yellow-rumped Cacique in Avian Architecture by Peter Goodfellow © Princeton University Press…
Past, Present, and Future: Salvadorean Textiles and Clothing
The claim that there are no indigenous people in El Salvador led to wonder about what makes someone “indigenous.” Census information conveys that Lenca and Nahua (Pipil) indigenous people make up about 10% of the population in El Salvador. It is assumed that the indigenous population is much larger, but underreported based on the narrow…
Worth of Crochet
Crochet is a wonderful hand-craft that allows extensive creativity. Each inch of fabric is created with intention and care. The process of crochet generates no waste since only the fabric necessary to complete the design is created. Additionally, once the crochet clothes reach the “end of life” stage, the fabric can be un-crochet and re-used…
Value Farmers give to their Sheep, Alpaca, and Goats
Intellectual capital is defined as: knowledge, innovation, creativity, imagination that fosters the creation of new knowledge and discoveries -Yellow Wood Associates People who own farms with sheep, alpaca, goats, and other fiber animals have extensive knowledge about their animals. Farmers give value to these animals beyond just the fibers they produce for yarns and clothes….
nature: appreciation & excitement!
The complexity of nature is compelling. Trees themselves provide rich services to our ecosystem and contribute to our livelihoods by providing oxygen. Trees also carry their own personal histories that are shaped by their specific geographic location. They each encounter distinct experiences and no tree is alike. Similar to the notion that all people are…
Revisiting Ithaca’s True Spring!
Now that Spring is in full bloom, I thought I’d post photos of Ithaca’s spring! I expected flowers to grow on thin, expanding branches of trees, but I was surprised to see flowers growing directly on the tree. It was so charming to see this because it looks like the tree is offering a small…
Fixing our Apparel Industry
The global apparel industry has provided an influx of economic opportunities in developing countries. An issue is the disconnect major apparel brands have with workers in their supply chain. The complexity has led to neglect and limited action towards ensuring that human rights and social welfare are not violated. There has been a proliferation of news…
Ag Day! Celebration of Agriculture
Yesterday there was a wonderful event that celebrated the diversity of life in Ithaca. Animals and plants were brought to the Ag Quad on the Cornell campus and many students got the opportunity to interact with adorable animals. Lisa, a fiber farmer I visited in January was at the event and she brought three of…
Creative Fashions Highlight the Value of our Waterways
The Finger Lakes are sprinkled throughout central New York and aquatic species are an inherent part of our ecosystem even though we don’t live next to the ocean. Ithaca is at the tip of Cayuga Lake, one of the larger Fingerlakes. Cayuga Lake is full of wonder and mystery at first glance, especially since the…
Ithaca’s spring!
I walked by the downtown Commons earlier today and it is a mess. They are deconstructing the center area of the Commons to make it easier for people to navigate through the space during seasonal festivals. I’m glad they are reconsidering the layout because it felt like I was in a can of sardines when…
Reflective Construction @ Cornell
Every Tuesday and Thursday I walk by the construction zone of the soon to be Bill and Melinda Gates Hall that will house Computing and Information Science in January 2014. Every time I walk by, I notice the reflection it gives of its surroundings. In the photo, it is reflecting the image of clouds, but…
Preservation of Voices, Culture, and Land
With population growth, there is greater need for basic resources. Energy is a basic resource that is a part of our everyday lives. In Los Angeles, I experienced a few black outs, but electricity returned within 3 hours. In Davis California, I experienced one and remember using a flashlight so that I could do my…
HELEN TREJO 