the art of deconstruction: anabel poh weaves and unravels to give leftover scarves new value

anabel poh’s meaningful deconstruction

material and textile designer anabel poh is thoughtfully deconstructing and reconstructing scarves leftover from the production process in this project titled ‘meaningful deconstruction’. the series reframes how designers upcycle objects and how consumers value the upcycled outcome. 

to create each piece poh begins with beautiful leftover scarves provided by petit h, an upcycling atelier founded by Hermès. the scarves may have been discarded due to one pulled thread or an unnoticeable misprint. the designer then applies a range of deconstructive techniques such as unraveling, weaving, reverse dyeing, batik dyeing and shibori knotting. through the knowledge of slowness, tenderness and cultural craft know-hows embedded within the upcycling process, the material retains the quality of its original production. 

images courtesy of anabel poh

removing to add value

a ritual is born from the innate identity of the material, the latter breathing life into the former. there is undivided attention to what one holds in their hands. the repetitive gestures reinforce a continuum of an emotional pace. by deconstructing, one reveals layers; nuances within the material narrative and sensitivities within its construction. a new pattern emerges. as a result, revealing new properties of the material can expand the possibilities of what it can become. these various techniques can be combined and reapplied accordingly to other forms of leftover textiles.
with this project anabel poh asserts that if we were to curate respectful rituals for the objects, our relationship with the material world can become more emotionally-durable.

sample collection of all the deconstructive textile techniques

unraveling technique

deconstructive drawn thread technique

unraveled, braided and knotted

project info:

name: meaningful deconstruction
designer: anabel poh

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom