Before mass production and department stores, most people either made their own clothing or had it made by a local tailor. Not only did this mean your clothing was 100% unique and fit you perfectly, it also meant that you really knew the person who made your garments. There was a bond, an open line of communication and an oftentimes lifelong relationship between the two of you.

Knowing the person who made your clothing adds value to the garment. When people compliment your outfit, it also compliments them. It also adds a level of respect for the work that went into it. You are not likely to toss a coat that your friend made for you. You are much more likely to contact that friend to see if it can be repaired, and thus keep it for a long, long time.

My first experience with this kind of relationship was with Subverse Industries , a leather company out of Santa Cruz. My gorgeous belt has a small piece in the back where it can be adjusted to be worn on the waist or hips. As the leather stretched, the long belt piece was no longer needed. I brought the piece to them at a festival and asked if they could make it into a choker. They were happy to oblige and the results were gorgeous. It’s that kind of interaction that makes this world so special.

In a world of often wasteful fast fashion, the vendors at festivals vow to create long-lasting fashion that inspires confidence, personal style and community.

Tribe Style

There is something magical about running into someone on the dance floor sporting something from the same independent designer you are. This kind of bond is extra special in the festival world because of the person or people tied to those designs.

One embellishment that holds a truly special bond between those who have it are Rustlocks . Rustlocks are customized hair/dread wraps. There are no two alike, as the lock is created with whatever intention you set as it's wrapped. You choose the story behind the wrap, choose the colors, charms, and whatever else you want to add as a blessing. 

“Our mission is to create self awareness and spread love across the globe, while also spreading the knowledge of sacred dreadlocks and the connection to our inner spirit. Our [hairs are] tentacles that connect us to more than you may know,” said creator Tara Tatangelo.

Tatangelo began doing hair wraps on herself about six years ago without understanding their history. It wasn’t until a trip to Jamaica and a profound experience with a group of Rastafarian women who taught her the history and tradition of hair wrapping that those hair wraps became Rustlocks.

“In 2015, Rustlocks started hitting festivals seeking a conscious community of like-minded people to spread our love and knowledge. Along the way we have learned and grown so much, and truly feel our community is growing,” said Tara.

Each Rustlock is one of a kind, and there is an instant connection between two people that have them. That connection can get deep quickly, as the intentions behind each individual's locks are shared. When they grow out, you can see Tara or one of her team members to touch it up, and thus the relationship grows and conversation continues.

“Each individual’s set intention [contributes to] collective consciousness which then spreads even further and beyond,” said Tara.

Community Inspiration

Members of the festival community hold values and principles in high esteem. From the name alone, one can garner that Helen Olds, the creator of We Are All Onesie , values community and togetherness.

Sewing her first project at just age five, Helen has worked in the fashion industry for 15 years. When she finished fashion design school, she moved to California and worked as a technical designer for large companies like Old Navy and Levi’s. We Are All Onesie was born after Helen created a custom animal onesie for her boyfriend two years ago, and was met with astounding response.

“The transformational festival community is ahead of the curve in recycling, being kind to humanity, and making healthy choices with food. However, 'fast fashion' is a topic that has barely been addressed. Few know the impact of our fashion choices and even I didn’t realize the true cost of this industry as a whole until doing more research. Bringing this topic into awareness will help guide the public to make informed buying choices,” said Helen.

Bodysuit by We Are All Onesie x Rita Lux. Photo by: We Are All Onesie

After speaking on the panel at Lightning In a Bottle mentioned in my previous article about shopping ethically, Helen decided to move towards using P.E.T. fabric in her designs and having those fabrics printed in L.A. In the near future, she will collaborate with visionary artists in the community, like such as Rita Lux , to create custom prints.

“Fashion in the festival community is all about pooling resources between us, sharing information and widening the circle,” said Helen.

After the talk with companies Teeki and Ritual, Helen decided to eventually start a coalition of designers and clothing manufacturers committed to making a real impact in environmental practices within the fashion industry.

“The coalition will lead the eco-friendly manufacturing movement and produce awesome looking fabrics with the least damage to the planet or human workers. I’m excited that this movement has been sparked and I’m not giving up on my shiny rainbows without a fight,” exclaimed Helen.

Accepting Trade

I don’t think I've ever spoken to a vendor who was not open to potential trade for their wares whether for other goods, services or time-energy. However, this is the first time I have seen a brand make such a public statement about it.

Ritual’s items are stunning pieces of wearable art and they are fairly priced as such. That said, they understand that people cannot always afford the pieces of their dreams. Offering another option aside from saving up on your own, Ritual posted about their new spring exchange and barter system.

“We want you to own Ritual and we understand for many of you that you save up, you wait, and for us we are trying to make a sustainable chain so everyone can eat and live safely making fashion, music and art. This means our bottom line isn’t the same as companies that exploit the planet or people and so, to some, it’s an impossible dream, but we believe no dream is impossible,” said Jillian Black, founder.

This kind of discussion enhances community interaction between people and fashion companies. It breeds new ideas and collaborations.

“Because money is just a reflection of our energy and we work with some incredible geniuses, we are sure we can find something that works for both parties. So let's talk about this. Write us, contact us, message us, and tell us what you desire and any ideas on how we can work together to make it possible,” said Jillian.

Read the full list of exchanges Ritual will accept here.

Applauding and Developing Personal Style

The development of personal style breeds confidence. Confidence breeds happiness, and happiness breeds love. 

Having relationships with designers and artisans is so powerful when developing personal style. The ability to have a concept and to know someone who can make that concept come to life is incredible; when shopping in a store, you usually can’t speak to the person who made an item.

When buying from vendors and local artisans, the value of the piece is so much more than the physical object. It opens up relationships with the people who made it.

“We love continuing those relationships. We love it when one instance at one festival turns into a multi-year dialogue with people, sharing creative ideas and back and forth. People’s needs and request for products and modifications keeps us on our toes,” said Ari Feldman, one of Subverse Industries founders.

Photo by: Trevor Tarin

While it makes more sense economically to create multiples of the same design, Subverse often create custom pieces for clients and limited runs of certain designs.

“It makes it really fun for us to create because the custom pieces are super recognizable and we run into their owners again and end up with all these great stories of the adventures that the items have gone on. For us, it builds a sense of community and connectedness. That is one of the main reasons why we are doing this in the first place,” exclaimed Ari.

“We love seeing people challenge the norms through their decisions. Festivals are a safe space to experiment. You can experiment with fashion and its celebrated and beautiful. That is one of the coolest things about festivals,” said Trevor Tarin, Subverse's other founder.

Top-to-Bottom Collaboration

We Are All Onesie's Helen uses local seamstresses and fabric vendors in L.A. “I only enlist contractors that preserve the highest level of integrity that We Are All Onesie is about. I am in collaboration with my contractors to create an inspirational environment that supports them to work at their highest ability,” said Helen.

Trevor and Arianna of Subverse source all their materials in the United States and handcraft each piece in Santa Cruz.

“We decided early on that we wanted to support U.S. businesses as much as possible. When we sell a belt, it feeds us, it feeds the people in our community because we spend our money here. Then it feeds the people that make the zippers in L.A., who are our neighbors. We use equipment largely made in the U.S. and a lot of our leather comes from a tannery in Wisconsin. By keeping this money in the U.S., it is not going into one person’s coffer. It is going back into our respective communities. It is our attempt to revitalize what we see as a broken economy that has been destroyed in the last 30 years by globalization and fast fashion. We are trying to reverse those trends,” exclaimed Trevor.

High Quality Handmade Items

The fashion found at transformational festivals generally fits into two categories. The first is thrifted or vintage finds which support sustainability. The second is high quality items from vendors. It’s a model in stark opposition to that of the default world that focuses on buying new, cheaply made items constantly.

“Community awareness is hugely important. Making things with the intent to last as opposed to creating things that you throw away after one season. We want to spread the message that when you 'throw things away,' there is no 'away,'” said Helen.

Each piece from Subverse is handmade by Trevor and Arianna in Santa Cruz. The gorgeous detail and love put into each piece creates a long lasting bond amongst the piece, its owner and the creator.

Ritual has a lifetime repair policy. Encouraging people to fix items they already have creates less waste and continues the interpersonal relationship with the designer.

Encouraging the shift towards pieces you’ll have for a lifetime is both sustainable and fashionable. The festival community allows for a great place to develop your personal style and feel a oneness with the people around you. So next time you see that gorgeous item that you love but seems out of reach, go ahead, try it on, strike up a conversation. You never know where it may lead.