CHERISHED CLOTHES

The congregations of Abbey Church, North Berwick, and Dirleton Kirk organised and curated an exhibit of Cherished Clothes, displayed at Abbey Church during the first weekend of August, attracting hundreds of visitors and raising over £1500 for the East Lothian based charity, Teapot Trust.

In today’s world of fast fashion, the exhibit was a celebration of dearly loved garments that have been treasured, repurposed or redesigned. Each exhibit told a story, bringing the garment to life and offering interesting insights into decades of social history.

As well as three exhibition spaces, there was a sale of work based on eco-friendly and natural materials, including quilts, cardigans, dolls, cards and artwork by local artists. To highlight traditional crafts used to make clothes, a local Spinnner, gave demonstrations to visitors. Positioned around the exhibition space were quotes from well-known people about ecofashion, recommended reading on the subject, and tips for visitors who want to embrace “slow” fashion

Entry was free with donations to Teapot Trust, a local charity with national reach which provides art therapy to children living with chronic illness. It was chosen in view of the creative connection and its environmental commitment.

Abbey and Dirleton minister, the Rev Dr David Graham, said, “We were delighted to welcome many hundreds of visitors, perhaps as many as 800 – some from East Lothian but others from all corners of the globe. The comments received showed how much the stories behind the clothes had resonated with visitors.”