Fafafoom Studio, 981 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA (2026)

02/01/2026

My heart is full and my body is finally exhaling after a grueling 2 months work of creating a 6-outfit collection.

Feeling grateful to close January with a fashion show, spearheaded by the incredible Clementina 🙏

Presenting my latest upcycled collection UP - Unbound Potentials at , assisted by AJ, a Skyline Highschool senior!

My utmost gratitude to my amazing models .anjel .messiuhhhhhh 🙌🫶🥰

🎥 by

11/15/2025

“That piece isn’t available anymore — it’s been deconstructed.”

People don’t understand when I say this. The garment they see on my feed? It’s gone. Disassembled. Become part of something bigger. Literally. 🌍 
Welcome to Gathered Cloths, a project that’s lived ten iterations since 2021, each one transforming into the next. And it will continue to evolve. So far, I have completed 10 iterations:
 Iterations 1-5 (2021): Iterations 1-5 (2021): Created privately towards the end of Covid-19 confinement as part of .us 2021 cohort. Iteration 5 was constructed on-site at the Golden Gate Park, when the group had a summer showcase.
 Iterations 6 & 7 (2022): Created partly in preparation of : A Study of Artivism, a VR exhibition featuring 5 global climate artivists. They became immortal only digitally, long after their physical iterations were deconstructed.   Iteration 8 (2023): My first Artist in Residence exhibition. 100 pieces covering one person head to toe AND one grand piano. The growth of ruffled cloths was visible now.
 Iteration 9A (2024): Fashioning Textile Waste (120 ruffled cloth pieces) workshop with ’s K-8 students during their Earth Day Festival. Teachers wore the students’ creations during the surprise fashion show.
 Iteration 9B (2024): 133 ruffled cloth pieces spread across 8 upcycled outfits for Bay Area’s Walk Your Values fashion show in November. The project’s runway debut!
 Iteration 10 (2025): Gathered Cloths in motion, courtesy of a dance performance collaboration with during the I Can’t Go On / I’ll Go On group exhibition curated by .   Each iteration highlights the growing challenge of textile waste, demanding adaptability, impact, and iterative approach.   What if waste was just material waiting to be renewed? And what if this project could reach... everywhere? 🤔
Swipe to see the evolution.

Full project documentation at fafafoom.com/project/gathered-cloths - link in bio!
 

11/11/2025

People want to learn more about sustainable fashion, but don’t know where or how to start 🧵 
That’s where workshops and speaking engagements come in. 
The Workshop: Fashion drawing with at HQ. This was Zoe’s last workshop before moving to LA, and I was honored we collaborated for this immediately sold-out event. I showcased two outfits as the final illustration challenge — it’s magical to watch participants translate textile transformation into their own artwork. 
But not everyone can access exclusive workshops. For a more regular cadence, I do garment mending for the public through and ’s Fix-It Clinics with . Showing the benefit of circular fashion through the joy of repaired clothes is incredibly effective in getting people to care more about what we choose to wear.
 Beyond workshops, speaking engagements all year long: during their Ethnic Film Festival for Earth Week - wearing my own shirt. American Sewing Guild . . Creators Circle. Skyline High School. And more.

Because this isn’t a conversation reserved for Earth Month. Textile waste is a year-round challenge, and each interaction bridges between ideas and realities of slow fashion and upcycling practices — that’s the work that matters.

Each conversation plants seeds. Some grow into makers. Others into more conscious customers. All of them build up collective resilience.
 And now, I’m about to plant seeds on a scale previously unimaginable. 🌱

11/09/2025

From runway to gallery walls: when art meets activism 🌱
 This year, my artivism explores organic collaborations, weaving stronger bonds and mutually beneficial relationships. As a community-taught artist, despite the tremendous collaborative works runway and exhibition shows demand, this work is only beginning.
 Textile storytelling works; they need to be communicated boldly and frequently to truly reach the general public so we can have better relationships with our food and fiber systems - something many of us feel far removed from.
 1 & 2: Showcasing zero-waste and compostable garments during x .film x ’s Regenerative Fashion Show at .
 3 & 4: “A Hopeful Tomorrow” ensemble exhibited at San Francisco’s Interwoven exhibition, curated by Kara Fabella at .
 5 & 6: Pulling double duty as event producer and participating designer of Rethink the Runway’s Threads of Change: A Sustainable Fashion Exhibition - supported by - during 2025 at .
 7 & 8: Participating in Clementina Martinez-Masarweh’s Circular Culture Hub fashion show, alongside fellow designers Clementina and at .
 9 & 10: Celebrating the 10th iteration of Gathered Cloths project by participating in the “I Can’t Go On/I’ll Go On” group exhibition curated by , and collaborating with .xyz for a special performance during the opening reception at @120710.art.
 11 & 12: Showcasing a jacket I made with ’s archival seaweed-based biomaterial at x Rethink the Runway’s Fashion Maker Mixer during , with ’s Art of Sneakers Vol. 2 exhibition setting.

The next chapter? Scale bigger, bolder. 📈

11/07/2025

“Where others see discarded fabrics as excess, the textile-upcycling artist sees them as untapped potential—a canvas for transformation and storytelling.” - ELLE Canada ✨ 
The feature on was amazing, and let me tell you about how it happened since I got asked about it quite a lot.
 The opportunity came from Danny Lairon , who reached out shortly after last year’s Bay Area’s Walk Your Values fashion show. Special thanks to for connecting us! One conversation and a week and a half later, the whole team met for the photoshoot at stuartlocklearphotography’s studio..
 It was Thanksgiving weekend. Everyone showed up. What a stellar team: San Francisco’s top models .rodriguez, makeup and hair artists and , 2nd photographer — every single person brought their A-game to tell this story right.  Moreover, a last-minute dash to for jewelry elevated the outdoor shoot at a nearby industrial junkyard.

The result speaks for itself. The feature looks incredible; a testament to the team’s magic that day.

Here’s what makes this moment special: my first international publication feature since 2018. It’s been seven years of work, of building skills and refining technique, of proving that discarded textiles can become statement pieces.

And here comes Danny, who seeks to lift works of sustainable fashion makers like myself, creating channels for us to be featured in global publication.   Swipe to see the behind-the-scenes magic — the moments between the shots, the crew making it happen, the good times that made this feature possible.

Thank you Danny - you’re a real one, and I’m thrilled to see more works of sustainable fashion makers through your lens and your network. 
This feature opened doors I’m only just beginning to walk through. 🚪 Full ELLE Canada feature linked in bio.
 

07/02/2025

Pure magic happened last Saturday ✨

During the opening of “I Can’t Go On / I’ll Go On” at @120710.art, my collaborators .xyz performed “The Change” wearing my latest creation - a regal coat weighing over 30 pounds. (dancer), Walker (guitarist), and (story teller) brought to life a story written by Zach .art, also a fellow exhibitor in the show. The performance had everyone spellbound for 10 minutes.
 When people interact with my textile art, that’s when we experience it to the fullest. And what happened after the performance was even more magical - curious audience members bravely tried on the regal coat themselves, walking like Queens while fellow visitors automatically gave them space. The opening reception was incredibly successful, packed with people coming and going from start to finish, with about 50 of us gathering for the performance itself.

I was over the moon when curator invited me to join this group exhibition featuring 21 artists who “recognize the importance of nurturing a collective web of support,” and that “to sustain is not just to exist, but to resonate through time.”

From initial concept to final form, creating this costume was truly collaborative. I love every bit of the process and the performance itself. How joyful it is to see how Gathered Cloths evolve over the years, and I look forward to discover how it continues evolving.

Much gratitude to:
* Rena Tom for believing in my interpretation and connecting me with On Beyond
* Jonathan and the 120710 Gallery team for hosting
* On Beyond collaborators for bringing such artistry and depth to the brilliant performance
* All 20 fellow artists - your work creates a powerful constellation of resilience
* .studio for inviting me to those book club meetings with Rena that started it all! 
Please come experience this magic before it closes July 19th (gallery hours 4-8pm). This collection of Bay Area artworks is truly powerful!

03/02/2025

Thank you Flora Tsapovsky for the article “San Francisco’s fashion scene is trash — literally” published on (link in bio).

What an honor to be sharing the feature with designers and collectives .ehren of , , ’s .co, and .studio. Many of us feel called to address and act on waste via our respective lenses of creativity.

Textile waste continues to be a growing challenge in California (fastest growing component of California’s landfills, comprising of 3% of total landfill waste, and the fifth most common material overall). My note about the “overabundance” of textiles is an opinion born from years of experience repurposing textiles and materials.

We have way more materials than we realize, and the extreme commodification of products makes it easy for us to think that those materials are readily disposable.

So it’s up to us to react, create, and raise awareness. For me, that involves continuing the modular textile art project, creating upcycled fashion, and creating a movement. What will YOU do?

- A couple of context about the two pictures that are part of the article’s collage art:
 1. The picture of myself, , , and was taken by during “Green Filmmaking & Fashion” event at , produced by and during 2024. The theme was “Fall in Love Wearing Your Values” and I presented my upcycled linen/cotton pieces featuring Javanese pattern.

2. Picture of me wearing the 6th iteration of Gathered Cloths, in the form of a hooded floor-length coat, temporarily constructed with 63 pieces of ruffled cloths and weighing ~15 pounds.

01/27/2025

So what’s next for Gathered Cloths? By now, you might have realized that working with is like playing with Lego building blocks, but with fabrics. The number of building blocks keep increasing with each iteration, and the stackings are done by connecting pieces together with safety pins.

The temporary nature of the circular process makes it really versatile to create any kind of surface coverings, from a rug to a multitude of garments.

About 2.5 weeks after the fashion show, I had the opportunity to do another showcase, a photoshoot this time. I decided to disassemble Carmen’s shrug and Lucy’s half vest to create a half sweater. VV’s pants were partially disassembled and reconstructed to be higher-waisted and open on the sides. The top part of Porsha’s dress was disassembled and reconstructed to have a deep V neckline.
 Swipe through the pictures to see glimpses of what I did in the studio in preparation, and what got captured on the day of the photoshoot. I’m very grateful to work with professional models Nayana and Cindy that day (as well as Malaya) and Danny, the photographer with the vision. The industrial outdoor setting contrasted really well with the colorful yet soft nature of the ruffled cloths.

Thank you for joining me in this Instagram takeover this weekend. It’s been a pleasure, and I’ll be happy to answer questions you have about my processes. As you swipe through the very end of the picture carousel, remember that textile waste is a global issue. I believe in creative visual storytelling to raise awareness, and I believe in the collective power of community to create radical changes. Signing off for now - thank you for having me, SDA!

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01/27/2025

Being a part of Bay Area’s inaugural fashion show was a great honor. Joining a fashion show that celebrates sustainability, and being included as a textile upcycler in the lineup of local vintage curators, stylists, and clothing resellers felt really special.

My time of Instagram account takeover is almost coming to an end. So for this second to last SDA takeover post, I’m sharing favorite moments of both backstage and runway, taken that evening by the talented photographers . Moreover, special thanks to Fafafoom Studio assistants Mariette of , Becca , and Meggie .stenback for supporting me during the fitting and runway days.

Swipe to the end for the runway video cut for all 8 looks of the collection by . Thank you Fely, Lucia, Carmen, Paul, Lucy, VV, Eunnuri, and Porsha for bringing my upcycled creations to life so beautifully. And once again, shoutout to Remake Bay Area crew for producing the first Walk Your Values fashion show in San Francisco Bay Area last November:

Co-creative directors -
Event strategy & ops -
Lead producer - .theshizz
Casting director -
Lookbook designer -
Community organizer & volunteer lead -

01/26/2025

Porsha McGill’s prowess on the runway is undeniable, and I had the good fortune to connect with her last year. So when Bay Area wanted me to join their first ever fashion show, I immediately knew that I had to invite her to be my final model.

I envisioned an open-back dress with a royal train (more than 50” long when flat) for this Queen. When the construction was finished, the dress came to life by safety pinning 55 Gathered Cloths. It was heavy, and I was worried about the 15-pound dress weighing her down as she walked down the runway. Alas, it wasn’t a big deal at all for Porsha, as she maneuvered the train with complete ease during the fitting session.

On the day of the show, I decided to “crumple” the royal train so it’s more alive with textural interest rather than laying flat. The added weight of the safety pins I used to create that effect was apparently negligible, as Porsha COMMANDED the audience’s attention during the runway. Work it she did, and the rest of us were just happy to be blessed with her presence.
 Context: In November 2024, project reached an exciting milestone. A total of 133 ruffled cloths were distributed to 8 outfits as Fafafoom Studio’s collection during Remake Bay Area’s Walk Your Values fashion show. Some of them assembled into a garment, some were meant to temporarily embellish an existing upcycled garment. This post covers outfit 8 of 8, modeled by Porsha.

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📸 Swirl of Grace Photography,
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01/26/2025

Past iterations of Gathered Cloths resulted in temporary constructions of tops, jackets, coats, and dresses. So for VV, I wanted to create something that was never constructed before: a pair of pants.

Outside of myself, VV was the first person who ever donned an iteration of Gathered Cloths. She modeled its 8th iteration, consisting of 100 ruffled cloths and weighing more than 25 pounds. The photoshoot with was magnificent, breaking ground for Gathered Cloths’ future public showcases.

The intensely textural and colorful pants were one of the crowd’s favorites. The fiery pants were complemented by a much simpler top, constructed from linen/cotton deadstock and debuted during last year. Its pattern depicts a common Indonesian motif of Javanese heritage, symbolizing a hope that one develops their potentials as they journey through life.

Context: In November 2024, project reached an exciting milestone. A total of 133 ruffled cloths were distributed to 8 outfits as Fafafoom Studio’s collection during Remake Bay Area’s Walk Your Values fashion show. Some of them assembled into a garment, some were meant to temporarily embellish an existing upcycled garment. This post covers outfit 6 of 8, modeled by VV.

💃🏿 .iolentv.ibrance
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01/25/2025

Continuing the story from my last post, Lucy’s outfit took the brunt of the division adjustment. I had envisioned some kind of chest plate made with ruffled cloths, layered on top of a very pretty, crowd-favorite-everywhere-it’s-shown diaphanous maxi dress.

The crinoline bottom section is fragile, upcycled from a vintage 1960s prom dress. It had gone back-to-back repair sessions earlier in the spring season. This might be the last time I would include the dress in a fashion show, and I’m planning to create a sturdier, still diaphanous replacement for future public showcases.

With the reduced number of ruffled cloths - 5 small to medium-sized instead of 8 small to large-sized ones, I managed to create a half-vest. Hand basted to the front, tied on the side, and safety pinned in inconspicuous places, it’s one of those “make it work” moments. And with a vintage nightie stained with flowers as the base layer, the outfit was done, and Lucy brought it to life so elegantly.  
Context: In November 2024, project reached an exciting milestone. A total of 133 ruffled cloths were distributed to 8 outfits as Fafafoom Studio’s collection during Remake Bay Area’s Walk Your Values fashion show. Some of them assembled into a garment, some were meant to temporarily embellish an existing upcycled garment. This post covers outfit 5 of 8, modeled by Lucy.

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📸 .stenback
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Fafafoom Studio

02/01/2026

11/15/2025

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07/02/2025

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01/27/2025

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