Isabelle Taylor, a pioneer in crafting embezzling garments from fish leather, is a young artist who combines environmental consciousness and artistic innovation in her pieces. From the depths of the ocean to the forefront of design, Isabelle’s creations not only captivate the eye but also echo a resounding call for more sustainable practices in fashion.
hube: Your garments seem to draw inspiration from the depths of the ocean. Could you share the moment or experience that initially inspired you to utilise fish skins in your art, and how has this connection with marine life and environmental consciousness influenced your creative process?
Isabelle Taylor: I had previously seen a few designers use fish leather in garments but I was still fascinated by how few people were exploring it as a textile for fashion and so I had to try it for myself to see why. I fell in love with the texture immediately and I love how it’s not only making really good use of waste, but it’s biodegradable, meaning I could pursue my love for fashion whilst feeling guilt-free about polluting the planet. I’m still confused as to why so few people are exploring it. After some experimenting, I realised my interest lay in sculpting the skins into garments, as opposed to making individual leather pieces to sew together. Seeing fish swimming in the ocean is one of my favourite things— the way their skin sparkles in the sunlight is incredibly beautiful. I try to capture the essence of this in my work — by adding subtle (high-quality) rhinestones to the surface of my garments to give them the same element of sparkle as they would have in the wild.
h: Fish skins bring a distinctive texture to your creations. How do you manipulate and sculpt this unconventional material to achieve the desired tactile and visual effects in your pieces?
IT: I drape the skins flat onto a mould. The mould is made from anything I can find like, for example, an old tablecloth I used to make a voluminous skirt. If I want something more organic that resembles creased fabric, I’ll drape the skins with more folds and creases. Alternatively, I use pegs or sew thread through the skins to pin them into surreal shapes. Once the skins have dried I can take them off the mould and have a garment entirely made from fish leather.
h: In an industry often criticised for its environmental impact, your use of fish skins is commendably sustainable. It is definitely a new and unique approach to fashion. How do you see your work contributing to a more eco-conscious approach in the world of art? What are you aspiring to invoke in others with such choices?
IT: I’m trying to introduce a new method of construction into fashion, to show that structures in garments that are usually made from plastics can be made from biodegradable materials instead. Not only that but also to be reducing waste in a different industry altogether — the seafood industry. I’m trying to show others that we can work together, cross-disciplinary, to benefit both parties instead of looking for the answers just within fashion. I also want people to be more open to change because that’s what we need. We need a radical change in the fashion industry; therefore, we need to expect to see something radically different. This is what my work resembles. People have mixed emotions about my work because it makes them uncomfortable to observe something they’ve never seen before. But I’m excited by it because it starts a conversation.
h: Could you give us a glimpse into the evolution of your artistic style and the specific innovations we can expect in these new pieces? Was there a moment during the creation of your latest pieces that required a particularly intricate or time-consuming technique?
IT: I’m currently working on improving my leather textile as opposed to new shapes because I need to prioritise that before anything else. It will take more experimentation, research, and critical analysis of my previous work. However, I plan to continue to explore surrealism in my work and to create sculptural pieces that both complement the shape of the human body and morph into shapes which are entirely separate from it — something more architectural or organic. Each stage of my process is equally time-consuming so I also need to work towards techniques that can help me cut back the production time!
h: How are your new garments different from the previous models? What do you think changed in your artistic practice and what stayed the same?
IT: I concentrated on improving the strength, finish, colour richness, and longevity of the garment for my latest model and I’m happy that I have successfully achieved all those things. However, it still needs improving before I’m happy to sell anything as I want the product to be of high quality. I also am concentrating on utilising more interesting, practical, and vintage fastenings. The draping method in which I constructed the latest garment remains the same as the first model though.
h: Would you say that fish skin is going to be a great leather alternative that will change the realm of fashion in the near future? How are you planning on combatting stereotypes around utilising by-products?
IT: Fish skin certainly is a great leather alternative to some plastic-filled vegan leathers as it has such high tensile strength. However, it doesn’t make a good substitute for cow leather as the hides are smaller and not as thick, so they wouldn’t be appropriate for heavy-duty objects. What I like about fish leather is that there are also many things you can do with it that are not possible with cow leather due to its thinness and lightness as well as the ability to be sculpted into detailed shapes. In terms of combatting stereotypes, I’m planning on just doing ‘me’ and working towards making something outstanding and beautiful. Then people can think what they want. There will always be skeptical people but I trust the right crowd will find me.
h: Fish skin must have a distinct scent during the crafting process. How does the aroma of your art space contribute to the overall sensory experience of creating these unique garments, and does it play a role in your creative mindset? How do you take care of the overall scent of your pieces once they are ready?
IT: I collect the fish skins either already frozen or fresh and then freeze them straight away. Therefore, the smell of the fish is fresh and not rotten, which is when the fish smells bad. I prepare the skins fast and treat them straight after deep cleaning. This way, the whole structure of the skin is already different, it’s now leather. Fish leather doesn’t smell at all, just like cow leather doesn’t smell, but cow skin does. The hard part is ensuring the skin has successfully turned into leather and that is something I am continuing to perfect. I’ve successfully made samples which are completely odourless, as they should be.
If it were impossible to make fish leather odourless, I wouldn’t be dedicating my life to making fish leather garments because it wouldn’t have a chance in the industry! In terms of the preparation stage — yes, the skins smell like fish because they have small amounts of fish flesh left on from when the fishmongers skin the fillets. And I don’t mind it the slightest. It’s fresh enough to not smell bad but more like the ocean!
h: Different cultures often attribute symbolism to various materials. How do you think using fish skins adds a cultural narrative to your creations, and have you encountered any surprising cultural responses to your work, for example from indigenous communities?
IT: Before I started working with fish skin I was well aware of the indigenous communities who craft fish leather garments as part of their culture. I wondered whether creating my own fish leather might be a form of cultural appropriation, so I decided as long as I do something different with the skins, it should be okay. That’s what made me decide to sculpt the skins instead of making individual leather pieces and stitching them together, so their originality isn’t under threat by my work.
I think it’s important to give credit to the indigenous communities such as the Nivkhs. They invented the concept of fish leather. One particular person I look up to is Elisa Palomino. She has conducted in-depth research on indigenous groups using fish leather as well as how we can incorporate it into the fashion industry which is essential for sustainable fabric solutions. Her research and writing convinced me that although indigenous communities were the origins of fish leather, as long as we give credit to them, it is okay to utilise fish leather in fashion to contribute to a more sustainable world.
h: Are there any specific artists who have influenced your creative flow and artistry? Who would you want to collaborate with in the future?
IT: I’m inspired by designers who are in a similar position to me and who create something themselves. It’s hard to relate to big fashion companies that have thousands of employees and are using normal fabrics because that’s not my reality at all. I’m living with my parents and have turned our garden shed into a studio space where I work alone all day. I don’t drive, so I collect the fish skins in a rucksack and go to the smoked salmon factories by bus or train.
Therefore, designers like Bella Pietro and Mitosis by Xal, who I discovered through TikTok, are inspiring me. My university tutor, Lyndsey, has been a significant part of my journey as she has been very encouraging at each stage of my development and gave me crucial guidance to improve when I was still a student. I would like to collaborate with Radient Matter’s bio sequins to embellish my work as well as Swarovski. I also aim to get my garments worn by my celebrity muses such as Julia Fox, Lady Gaga, and FKA Twigs.
Images courtesy of ISABELLE TAYLOR
