Dancer-turned-designer wows with his stunning eco-friendly ‘art clothes’ made from recycled materials
A former ballroom dancer is wowing shoppers with his stunning eco-friendly clothing designs depicting some of the world’s most famous pieces of art recreated from second hand scraps.
The unique cloth paintings, composed of recycled materials from car factories, sewing workshops, upholstery warehouses and second hand clothes shops, include depictions of Vermeer’s ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’, Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’, a self-portrait of Frida Kahlo, and Da Vinci’s ‘Lady with an Ermine’.
The unique cloth paintings, composed of recycled materials from car factories, sewing workshops, upholstery warehouses and second hand clothes shops, include depictions of Vermeer’s ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’, Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’, a self-portrait of Frida Kahlo, and Da Vinci’s ‘Lady with an Ermine’.
Designer Szymon Kot from Chorzów had previously only used his sewing machine to sew himself and his friends new dance clothes.
But during a three week recovery from Covid in 2020, which confined him to bed, he came up with the creative idea.
The 25-year-old’s first jacket painting was Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’ which he created by combining different patterns and stitches from hundreds of materials of different colours and textures.
The 25-year-old’s first jacket painting was Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’ which he created by combining different patterns and stitches from hundreds of materials of different colours and textures.
Since then, his range has expanded to include countless other designs of famous paintings, for both jackets and handbags.
Kot’s range has now expanded to include both jackets and handbags.
He has also developed his own technique of creating full scale 3D wall paintings made from materials, which he used to create a painting by Picasso made from a combination of different coloured car leathers, upholstery materials and wool.
Going by the social media handle PANSZYMONKOT, Kot has already amassed a loyal social media following and attracted attention after he was given a stall at OFF Festival in Katowice and was invited to show his collection at Poznań Fashion week earlier this year.
He has also developed his own technique of creating full scale 3D wall paintings made from materials, which he used to create a painting by Picasso made from a combination of different coloured car leathers, upholstery materials and wool.
Kot told Fakt newspaper: “I found an idea for myself, I love what I do. I don’t go to work, instead I go to my workshop.
“Not a single scrap of material with me, lands in the bin, it is well used and I give it a second life.”
