Mirage is a fashion editorial series that revolves around sustainable fashion designs, with a central theme of water interwoven throughout. Our society’s reliance on fleeting fashion trends intensifies this issue, leading to a cycle of rapid trend turnover and fabric waste, equivalent to misusing vast amounts of water daily. This project intends to create images using a fresh perspective on sustainable fashion, showcasing its potential to embrace couture, drama, and avant-garde elements and bridging sustainable fashion’s inherent creativity and innovation by presenting these garments in a high-fashion photography setting, offering a glimpse into a future where environmental consciousness and style coexist.
The series shows various garments designed by Maxime Chevcover that employ innovative, sustainable techniques. The garments are intended to curb the industry’s uncontrollable appetite for new fabrics and textiles, countering fast fashion’s detrimental impacts on humanity and the environment. She has achieved this by sourcing fabric from second-hand sources and utilizing natural dyes extracted from vegetables and fruits.
Over the years, I’ve observed the alarming rise of fast fashion and fleeting trends within the industry. Simitinaously, I’ve witnessed a growing shift among local designers towards more sustainable practices. Motivated by these observations, I challenged myself by creating a series that not only captivates aesthetically but also carries profound meaning. Central to my vision was
the belief that beautiful fashion does not have to come at the cost of heavy water consumption. I aimed to shed light on this notion through my work, demonstrating the immense potential of sustainable fashion to revolutionize the industry and address the looming water crisis. Sustainable fashion offers hope, signalling a path towards a more environmentally conscious and socially responsible future.
I would like to thank the fantastic team who helped this project come to life. Maxime Chevcover, Brandi Apakwu, Angelina Fulton, Sabrina Dewes, Camille Sullivan, Sim Nathan and Laura Le.
Ashley Sebben
(She/Her)
Ashley Sebben is a Toronto-based Canadian photographer whose work centers on the intersection of creativity, fashion, beauty, and editorial aesthetics. Through photography, she delves into her passion for these realms, continually seeking to challenge herself by adopting innovative techniques and exploring new artistic dimensions in each project. With a profound devotion to fashion, Ashley recognizes the significance of authentically capturing the essence of the industry in her work.