Designer Feature- Katie Monteith

Meet Katie Monteith, one of the designers contributing to the upcoming Sustainable Style Charity Gala, a new event featuring an exhibition and auction of sustainable, student-made fashion, accessories, and art.

Introduce yourself; name, age, year in uni, degree path, a few interests.

Hi, I'm Katie! I'm a 21-year-old student from Northern Ireland, currently in my third year at Glasgow School of Art, studying Textile Design and specializing in Weave.

Tell me a little bit about your pieces; what they are, why you made them and how they reflect your personal style?

My pieces are created using recycled and scrap yarns from past and current projects, displayed in second-hand frames which would have otherwise been binned. These pieces are all a bit different, but they show what can be made from the 'leftovers' of the textile process.

Why did you decide to submit your pieces to the Charity Gala?

I decided to submit pieces to the Charity Gala as I thought it would would be an incredible opportunity to have some of my work be part of an event such as this, alongside amazing artists and designers, as well as having an opportunity to raise money for  Fashion Revolution! I also decided to submit pieces to the gala as sustainability is something which is becoming more and more important in our current artistic practices.

Textile art available in auction

What does sustainability mean to you and how is that reflected in your pieces?

I believe that waste will always be a part of the textile design process, but I'm always looking for ways to reduce this and make my practice more sustainable. Using off-cuts from my weaving and other recycled yarns, I'm creating small framed pieces like the ones in the gala, and alongside this I am using recycled and second-hand yarns in my woven art. This is just the beginning as I work my way to be as sustainable with my art as I can be!

Thank you to Katie for sharing her words and submitting her work to the Gala. Don't miss your chance to see her pieces in person on March 9th. Tickets out now!

Example of Katie's work