Jude Evans

The British production industry has been declining for decades with obituaries written about the sector being commonplace over the past 50 years as the UK has moved through various eras and is the central topic of discussion within this work. Evans considers whether fashion brands are completely genuine behind the scenes and documents what production is left within Britain and especially in his home county of Somerset.

A Coast Line Tale zooms in on how we decide to interact with the coast on a personal level, exploring stories and traces of individuals whilst also addressing the structural and societal boundaries of the coast. Containing images of man-made beaches, industrial docks and rolling coastal paths, this project was built on the thought that maybe, just maybe, we can transition to being less focused on the clearing of the “dark dense forest” and find solace in preserving and restoring the forest itself. Allowing nature and symbiosis, transitioning to rewilding rather than living in the shadow and the illusion of the natural world. Seeing ourselves as part of the whole, rather than viewing it from a distance.

Somerset has been Evans's home for the past 21 years. Large parts of the Somerset Levels spent much of the winter of 2013-14 underwater. Villages were isolated, homes evacuated, the farming community in disarray and the bad weather relentless. In this work, Evans revisits these sites and documents how the environment has changed since the 2014 flooding, over seven years ago.

The endless creation of new clothes comes with a heavy environmental price. Every year the sector requires 93 billion cubic meters of water, which is enough to meet the consumption needs of five million people, and is responsible for around 20% of industrial water pollution as a result of textile treatment and dyeing. To tackle this problem Timeless Thrift has been born specifically focusing on second-hand clothing and how it can benefit the environment compared to fast fashion. Vintage garments are sourced, washed and dried before being sold as 1of 1 pieces, each garment carries its own personal story which people should appreciate.