Winston Douah

I was drawn to denim due to its history in Nîmes, France. Initially, it was cotton and silk blended, then dyed with natural indigo to give denim its distinct blue color. This fabric was prized for its durability, low maintenance, and distinctive dark blue color. As such, it was essential for miners, farmers, and railroad workers. The cotton that was grown in the South and the cultivation of indigo established by Eliza Pinckney was a major cash crop in South Carolina. My dad is from Côte d'Ivoire which was a port for the slave trade. Likely some of our ancestors were enslaved Gold Coast people who were tasked to pick and process the same cotton and indigo. Since these materials were harvested by enslaved people, I have a conflicting relationship with the textile and dye. Growing up my father was always negative about France, stemming from growing up in a colonized country. Combining the conflicting relationship with American enslaved people with my father’s negative feelings towards France, you can see how conflicted I feel and yet I am drawn to denim.

I returned to my father’s hometown, Abidjan, where tailors carried around giant sewing machines throughout the markets. They would add bright colors and patterns to existing pieces as well as do on the spot designing. As a result, I find myself mixing colors influenced by the creations of Côte d'Ivoire with the American DNA of denim in my art. Design has always been in me, but it really blossomed once I expressed myself in sewing and painting.

I appreciate high-end fashion due to the fabrics, vibrant colors and patterns as well as artistic details that contribute to the true creative freedom. I started thrifting and zeroed in on vintage pieces featuring unique fabrics and quality hardware. Because I couldn’t afford high fashion, I knew I had to make it myself. I was given an old, unpredictable Kenmore 30-stitch from a retired sewing teacher to start my design journey. I started modifying and embellishing existing pieces in my closet.

Soon, I began to blend concepts of high fashion with vintage pieces into my designs by creating one of one, handcrafted shirts. These shirts feature the diverse faces of people in my city that I sketched, and are crafted from deconstructed jeans. I start with basic shapes and layer-defining details, working with different washes of denim and paint to emphasize facial features.

Eventually, I began experimenting more with painting on denim jeans. I noticed most people wore a vibrant top and bland bottom combination. I wanted to disrupt this design choice by drawing attention to the legs. I like to play around with the idea that our legs are symbolically walking towards goals. My goal is to use bright colors to demonstrate solid emotion, and earthy colors to symbolize being grounded. Some of my pieces feature a gradient of colors representing differing views on a theme, which is identified on each piece through imagery or writing. My themes tend to focus on social justice, sustainability, and environmental impact as well as modernization. I am passionate about handcrafted art and concerned about automation as a threat to human artistry.

Since my art concept is to connect to the earth, its inhabitants, and sustainability, I work with organic materials as much as possible. Recently I have been experimenting with new materials such as soil, grass, and charred edges as well as the process of deconstructing and reconstructing garments to communicate the various opinions on urban issues. I celebrate the history of deadstock materials and highlight their imperfections by featuring them prominently in my pieces. Often I begin with thrifted and disregarded curbside materials which I wash in the shower. I love bringing back items that previously were rejected. I use these materials to bring to life my sketches which are centered on urban issues. Once I have realized the focal theme that material inspires, I begin to pull details to support the theme. Through paint, design, and material I communicate a continuous mood connected to an issue. My portfolio captures the innovation, creativity, and color of my best pieces. Some pieces are fully wearable and washable while others are made for primary gallery and occasional wear.

At SAIC, I plan to take advantage of the interdisciplinary coursework in a small classroom setting and research opportunities that I can apply to truly make a difference in a world that is becoming more diverse. I have longed for a setting where I can get my inspiration from collaboration while exploring other classes. I am especially interested in learning about the shoe cobbling process in footwear design and strengthening my sustainability knowledge by taking Green Minds. I appreciate the opportunity to be influenced by the amazing cultural location. Additionally I am excited to continue my passion in travel by exploring the study abroad program and staff lead study trips to see how color and pattern is used elsewhere. SAIC is the natural step for me in my educational journey due to its rich study abroad offerings, its varied interdisciplinary coursework, and study under legendary staff like Nick Cave.