Gina Jostes is a designer whose inspiration stems from historical garments and fashion subcultures. Her designs usually feature a clean fit, interesting style lines, and contrasting materials.
Artist Statement:
Gina Jostes’s design represents how humans affect the environment—invading it and then artificially patching it back up. An image from the Vanishing Ice exhibit of an explorer ship amidst pristine ice, inspired the contrast of industry breaking into nature. This was combined with the juxtaposition of ‘clean’ fashion that’s created by apparel factories who dump their dye into nearby rivers. Apparel industry water pollution creates rippling effects: first to the animals, then to plants dependent on the water, until the unnatural color has bled through the entire surrounding environment. These ideas were translated into the design through clean, unpolluted vinyl, a metal cage, and a paint covered skirt of flowers within it. Together they represent the cycle of poisonous dye destroying nature, caged by the need to keep industrializing. Gina’s garment was created to challenge traditional material combinations by integrating pieces used for their utilitarian purposes and pieces that exist for their aesthetic.