The world of fashion today is awakening to many of its pressing issues.  From environment to animal concerns and our carbon footprint, the shift toward more mindfulness living is a “state of mind” the world is redirecting their attention to most specially the youth of today.  

Fashion designer Carla Zhang of Le Ngok is having an exciting two-day pop hosted by Guava Sketches entitled “Wasteland of Tomorrow” — discovering the old and new in fashion, art and beyond. 

So we asked the designer a few things about this special pop-up.  

What does the title mean?

Carla says, “The title is taken from a previous collection I did three years ago. It all started from a moment after throwing a bag of trash, a thought appeared “do I really need that much stuffs in life?”

When everything is at our fingertips, how easily we tend to take it for granted and throw away, eventually what left would be just a future world of wasteland. So this pop-up is a continuation of the same idea.”

Coming from that headspace, it’s evident that this creative wears her art and heart on her sleeve.

All great designs go through a process. It sometimes becomes the essence of a narrative. So we asked Cara what hers was, and she replied, “Resourcefulness is always one important factor to consider when I design. Fashion’s waste is a huge environmental issue yet most of people still take it for granted. As a designer I hope to create the best value of every material, even waste or discards, has its own characteristics to design with.”   

A woman of action, her convictions and artistic point of view has made her pieces timely and very relevant today. Everything has its use, even something like waste. What’s happening globally is the lack of awareness and initiative to get things started — and this designer is definitely on its case.

Focused, determined and challenged by circumstances, Cara remains unfazed and with her passion continues to follow her instinctive direction. With the same vision, she’s also launching two things this Saturday: First, the new zipper bag collection fashioned out of dead stock zippers with a flexible design to change its sizes and maximize functionality. Then she has a collection of art objects, made from all the leftovers and failed prints from previous 3D printing projects.  

Carla says, “Instead of throwing them away, aim to transform them into a new creation, yet each piece is unique and artistic.”

Her inspiring idea to re-use, re-make and recreate all come together with a purpose — one that won’t be put to waste. 

“Wasteland of Tomorrow” is happening on 27 to 28 January, 1 to 9 p.m.

1F Projects, W1F La Fuerza Plaza, Gate 1, Makati City (entrance along Pasong Tamo).