Textiles Hacking between Fashion Collaborations, Waste Valorization and Posthumanism

The contribution explores the concept of textiles hacking as an approach capable of recoding the material surfaces of clothing and reintroducing textile waste into the supply chain. Through the analysis of several case studies, the research identifies three different interpretations of the concept of hacking: (i) hacking as collaboration, in which two brands develop a joint project by hybridizing their textiles and graphic design to create a new shared imagery. The cases investigated are The Hacker Project, presented in 2021 by Gucci and Balenciaga, and Fendace, elaborated in 2022 by Fendi and Versace; (ii) hacking as waste valorization, in which independent emerging designers appropriate the textile scraps of global fashion brands for redesign and sabotage actions, as analyzed through Avavav and Dapper Dan; (iii) hacking as a posthuman phenomenon, in which fabric is colonized by other living beings and becomes vibrant matter, as demonstrated in the work of Paula Ulargui Escalona and Biogarmentry. The case studies allow us to highlight new interpretations of textile waste. The designers develop and experiment with new codes with which to transform clothing and textiles into a political and social instrument, capable of giving voice to alternative and sustainable visions.