Fi's Kimono

Fi has a photograph of her mother wearing the kimono in Canberra hospital, holding her just after her birth. Her mother died 12 years ago. It has hung in Fi’s wardrobe unused for eight years – the fabric is now nearly 40 years old and is too delicate to wear.

Corr Blimey transformed the object from a functional item of clothing to a symbol of a generational relationship. They maintained the original quality of the fabric – no cutting or machine sewing was used in its transformation. The item, once something that enveloped Fi, is now an object she can embrace. The object remains, as it always has been, intimate and tactile.

Design Repairers: Corr Blimey

Louisa de Smet and Steven Wright conceived Corr Blimey in 2001 while still students at the Canberra Institute of Technology. Corr Blimey use genuine design processes to produce collections that address the problem of the fashion system rather than simply adjusting the fashion product. As designers, they focus on utilising sustainable practices such as ethical manufacturing, waste reducing pattern cutting and enclothed cognition. This enables Corr Blimey to create unique, sculptural garments that highlight the best qualities of the materials and construction techniques. Every collection is distinctive and memorable for the design of the garments and the way they connect to the consumer. Corr Blimey has shown collections nationally and internationally; created costumes for dance and film; participated in interdisciplinary collaborations and private commissions.

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Fi’s Kimono. Repaired by Corr Blimey. Photos by Lee Grant. Image copyright Hotel Hotel.