HELEN KIRKUM

UK

For Helen Kirkum, sustainability is a profound concern. Her work can be described as a mosaic, since she collects “odd sneakers that can’t be used from recycling centres in London” and “breaks them down meticulously into their component pieces”. With this technique she breathes life into a brand-new pair of shoes: “Each piece is completely unique and hand-built. Even the left and right aren’t the same.” Kirkum sees fashion as being “built on the idea of newness”, so she aims “to create products that we recognise but aren’t used to seeing – something that’s new even if it’s entirely formed of second-hand parts”. This different idea of newness clearly emerges in the innovative projects she develops in her London studio. For example, with Timberland she rethought the classic yellow boot for the Construct:10061 initiative. “I was focused on how we could use waste materials and hack their processes to save resources in innovative ways,” she reveals. “By adding recycled plastics to the direct injection-moulding process, I created a custom Helen Kirkumstyle model.” She also worked on the “Sneakers for Breakfast” art installation with Takashi Murakami for ComplexCon, about which she says, “It was important for me to demonstrate the beauty and versatility of recycled materials through my pieces.” Meanwhile, for the SS 2019 show of the Swedish brand CMMN SWDN she “remixed their old last season’s shoes into new sneakers and boots adding sportswear elements”. • A.C.