There is nothing in this world more exhilarating for me than crossing mountains. Hiking is my favourite outdoor activity, and I love to hike for hours on end through the vast mountain ranges across the world. It is incredible to me, each time, how far you can get on your own two feet. It is the most satisfying thing, to go through the climb and be rewarded with the view at the end. So, I combined my love for the mountains with my love for fashion and created this hand-painted vintage jean jacket. The best part? It's lined with fleece, so it keeps you warm and toasty in colder seasons, or, say, if you were in the mountains.
The experience of setting one foot in front of the other to carry you through stunning natural environments, is an unparalleled moment in time that builds the human spirit, improves physical health and fitness, and increases environmental awareness. For me, hiking deepens my connection with nature, people and places.
This painted jean jacket design was leveraged from another artist's painting, aligned with my passion for Japanese art, using colours reminiscent of sumi-e with the addition of gold in the colour scheme. If you have read some of my other blog posts, or seen some of my other paintings in the home gallery, you know that I have a history with Japan that created a lifelong passion for its culture, in particular the various styles of art, as well as a very deep love for being in the mountains and surrounded by all types of nature.
This jacket is part of an up-cycling project, where I find vintage clothing and hand paint it to augment its uniqueness and desirability, to reduce fashion consumption and support a more sustainable future for our earth. Did you know that the fashion industry is the second leading greatest freshwater polluter in the world? This clothing is part of a larger collection I have created to reflect this. This is often the result of overproducing fashion items. Consequently, in reflection of the Sustainable Development Goals of the Paris Agreement to reduce climate change, the concept was born to rethink, recycle and reuse second-hand clothing. Creating fashionable, unique items from items you may have not considered worth purchasing. The intention is to create a win-win situation, an environmentally conscious way to reflect your unique personality through your clothes. It is not only a unique statement piece, but also a way to support the fight against climate change through fashion.
10% of the proceeds of the sale of this item will go to The Global Footprint Network, which collects data and creates tools that empower leaders at the local and national level to make confident policy and investment decisions backed by facts.
Panoramic photo of me in the mountains in Norway
Photo of me on the Lares Trek, Peru
Photo of me at one of the peaks in the Canadian Rockies, Canada
Photo of me between the mountains on the lake in Newfoundland, Canada
The mountains are calling and I must go. - John Muir
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